Things Jack Shouldn't Do, Eat, or Drink
by Jettara1
Summary: Jack's always been on his own so never had any rules or resitrictions but now as a Guardian he's learning there are some things he shouldn't do and the Big Four are more than willing to lay down the law with him. For better or worse Jack's going to discover some rules are for his own good while others are just begging to be broken. Rating may go up in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Things Jack Shouldn't Do, Eat, or Drink

**Okay this is a fun little fic that I'll be doing between my next big one and feature a series of things the Guardians decide Jack shouldn't do now that he's a Guardian and has a growing number of Believers thanks to Jamie and his friends. Some will be emotional while others funny as hell. If anyone has any ideas and prompts send them to me, I'll try to add them in.**

No one really thought there would be very many adjustments to be made when Jack first joined the Guardians. Yes, he was young, an eternal youth but he was 300 years old and knew his way around the world. He was great with children and seemed rather adapt to the constant changes of the world. He was strong, self-reliant and confident in his abilities. In all aspects he was the perfect addition to the Guardians. Bunny hated to admit it but in the short time Jack had been with them he had grown to respect the tyke and the others seemed to adore him.

After the battle against Pitch, Jack had grown very quiet. Like everyone he was tired and after a surprise sleep over at North's – Jack had fallen asleep in the sleigh on the way to Santoff Claussen – the boy had become very nervous. Every few minutes a yetis would touch his shoulder and give him praise in yetish and while Jack would smile he would also inch away until he found a little hidey-hole either at a window seat or, when that didn't seem to give him the peace he wanted, up in the rafters. It took a lot of coaxing from Sandy to get him back down when North announced a large feast to celebrate their victory.

At first everyone thought the boy was still tired or perhaps ready for hibernation – did the winter sprite hibernate or travel down south to bring frost and snow to the Southern Hemisphere? No one was really knew what Jack's schedule was like and that made them feel worse – but Jack put on a smile and followed the others to a huge dining room. His eyes almost bugged out when he saw the mounds of food stacked on the table. But he didn't touch a thing when he sat down, not even when North told everyone to dig in. He simply stared at everything as if he had never seen food before.

North sat at the head of the table and stared at Jack in confusion. He had seated Jack to his right, as if sensing the boy's anxiety. "Jack, is something wrong? Surely you must be hungry," he said, placing one large hand over the boy's.

Jack jumped and looked down at the large hand over his in surprise but he quickly schooled his face and put up a bright smile which made North smile. "Ah…I'm just a little over whelmed. I've…there's a lot of food," Jack said but his smile didn't exactly meet his eyes. If anything his eyes seemed to sparkle with unshed tears.

Tooth was busy instructing a handful of fairies and didn't seem to notice Jack's strange behavior and North was far to enchanted by the boy to notice the subtle way Jack shifted and seemed uncomfortable by all the attention but Bunny and Sandy noticed. The two exchanged a look. Jack acted as if everything that had happen over the last three days was some sort of dream, as if none of it was real. Sandy gave Bunny a worried look but the Pooka shrugged, not sure what to say or do on the subject. Up until now the boy had seemed very confident and sure of himself and had cracked a number of jokes but Bunny was certain that it had all been a defense mechanism. They were seeing the real Jack now, the unsure, quiet and lonely teenager that desperately wanted to be accepted and loved but was too afraid to trust anyone. Bunny felt bad. A lot of this could be attributed to the way he had treated the boy over the centuries. He had been rather harsh to the kid every time they met. He felt like kicking himself. Had he given Jack a little more positive attention maybe Jack wouldn't feel the need to hide within himself and show a smiling mask rather than his true self to everyone.

Yet while everyone else loaded their plates with food Jack still refused to touch anything. He fiddled with the sleeves of his hoodie and looked as if he wanted to hide. When he looked as if he wasn't planning to eat at all North began placing items on the boy's plate. Jack inhaled and shook his head but North only chuckled.

"Jack, you need to keep up your strength," the large Russian said, as if amused by the boy's antics. "None of us have had a proper meal in over three days."

"But…"

"I'm not asking you to eat a lot, just enough to keep healthy. You're so small. Not good for young men to not eat."

Jack bit his lower lip but didn't argue the fact as he hesitantly lifted his fork. He poked at the food on his plate but still didn't eat anything. North's brows knitted with growing worry and he glanced to Tooth who was still oblivious as she ate and conversed with her fairies. His blue gaze travelled to Bunny and Sandy who both shared his concern.

"You okay, Snowflake?" Bunny asked as he watched Jack spear a pea then simply stare at eat.

"Uh huh," Jack murmured.

"So you going to eat that or just watch to see if it'll grow?"

Now it was the boy's turn to look confused, but seeing the tiny challenging smirk on Bunny's face his eyes narrowed and he popped the small vegetable in his mouth. Bunny's smile grew more challenging.

"Well, one little veggie ought'a be enough for a lil'show pony like you," Bunny teased, reaching for the bowl of peas only for Jack to scoop more on his plate and suddenly dig in. Bunny grinned at North when the boy began eating in earnest. There wasn't a lot on the plate and Jack would pause, his eyes wide as if he had never eaten such food before. He more, faster, not properly chewing or swallowing before eating more.

"Jack?" North asked in growing worry.

"Sweet Tooth?" Tooth said, finally breaking away from her fairies to see what was happening.

Bunny watch in horror and fascination as the boy now wolfed down the food, no longer seeming to notice anyone around him. It was as if the kid never ate before. "Eh…Frostbite…Jack, I think you ought'a slow down before you make yourself sick, mate. That's an awful lot of food."

It was Sandy who finally put a stop to it. He took the plate away from Jack and wrapped him in dreamsand to keep him from grabbing anything more. "Sandy!" the boy whined, struggling to free himself yet not using his powers. Sandy's brow rose and he looked to the others as if to ask if he should knock Jack out or not.

North stood and gently pushed Jack's chair out from the table and knelt before him. "Jack, are you alright? What is going on, lad? One moment you refuse to eat and then you can't get enough. You act as if…as if you…" His voice faltered as his eyes widened in fear. "Jack, how often do you eat?"

For several long seconds they just stared at each other before Jack turned away. North only studied him with goring concern, taking in the boy's clothes and small form. His large hand clasped Jack's much smaller one and gave it a squeeze.

Bunny got up and rounded the table, wondering what he could do to help. He reached them just as Jack's face turned ashen and he suddenly looked ill.

"Sandy, let me go!" Jack all but yelled as he pulled desperately at the dreamsand.

A question mark appeared above the dreamweaver's head but Jack was struggling desperately now, looking ill and feverish.

"Jack, Jack, it's okay, we're here," North urged, confused and scared for the boy.

Bunny took in everything, his whiskers twitching as he sniffed the air around Jack. "Oh slag," he muttered.

Sandy formed a ball of dreamsand, ready to put the boy under but Bunny shook his head.

"Let him go," Bunny said, shoving North aside.

The moment the sand fell away from Jack, the boy was out of his seat and darting to the nearest window like a bat out of hell. Bunny chased after Jack until he found him kneeling in the snow throwing up everything he had just eaten. Those unshed tears rolled down Jack's pale cheeks when all that was left was dry heaves.

"I'm sorry," Jack murmured when he was done and the other Guardians had found him. He raked a hand through his hair but didn't look at anyone, least of all the Easter Spirit crouched in the snow next to him. "I should have listened. It's just…it was so good and I…it's been so long…" He fell silent and sat back on his legs as he stared at his hands. "I should go. You guys should enjoy the celebration."

"Wouldn't be much of a celebration without you, mate," Bunny said, offering him a smile but Jack refused to look up. "When the last time you had a proper meal?"

Jack only shrugged.

Sighing, Bunny pulled the boy to him, shivering slightly at the combined cold of the Arctic air and Jack's body. Nonetheless he let the boy lay his head on his lap as he carded his fingers through the boy's hair and let him rest. His other paw ran over the boy's form, taking silent note of the boy Jack's shoulders were too narrow and ribs seemed to stick out a little more than then should. His stomach was sunk in, not much yet in a very unhealthy way just as his hip bones gutted out a little too much. At first glance one would think Jack was just a skinny boy but for those who took the time they would notice he was malnourished. As an immortal he shouldn't be in such a condition, the magic that kept one young didn't stop one's body from receiving the nourishment needed unless they didn't get the food needed. But of course without nourishment that magic wouldn't hold, even if they were born encased in it as the elf surely was unless Jack became immortal another way such as…

Another shiver raked through Bunny as a darker thought raced through him. He hadn't considered it, didn't want to believe it but what if Jack wasn't born an elemental but was once human like North? What if he died? Bunny thought back to when he first met Jack nearly 300 years ago, back in the Colonial days when the boy seemed to still be learning about his powers and was eager to please and learn from anyone who would just take a moment to talk to him. Bunny hadn't had the time to deal with the excitable sprite and had pretty much ignored him but he remembered the way Jack dressed and spoke, it wasn't like any other elemental but like one of the colonists. He even had a bit of an accent back then.

The boy curled into a ball but didn't pull away from Bunny even when North knelt to rest a hand on the back of his head. "I think you ate too much, Jack," North said gently as he began rubbing the boy's back in soothing circles. "Perhaps we should decide on proper proportions for you, dah? That way you don't get sick. Worse thing in world to eat a good meal then lose it all. Bad for belly."

A small laugh escaped Jack as he peered up through his fringe to gaze at the Russian. "Yeah, real bad."

North gave a nod and squeezed his shoulder.

"And chew, you gumby," Bunny added. "You're lucky you didn't choke on something and killed yourself."

Jack opened his mouth to retort but quickly shut it and looked away, his gaze meeting Tooth's for a brief moment. The sharp inhale from the fairy queen answered Bunny's unspoken question. Jack was a spirit alright, in all sense of the word. Somehow the kid had died but that would be a question they would all wait until Jack was ready to tell them about it. For now they would worry about his health and get him to understand that despite everything that had happened in the past they were now family and they would never, ever let Jack live alone and unloved again.

That was also the day North set down the first of many rules concerning Jack; he was to eat proper proportions and never go without food or drink. Of course after dinner a second rule was set in place but that would wait until the next chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

Things Jack Shouldn't Do, Eat or Drink 2

**Okay so I decided this fic will take place in between the Finding Understanding series so let's say from the time Jack becomes a Guardian in the film through Memories and Nightmares right up until Child's Play. So there will be aspects of the other stories in it.**

Once things settled with Jack and everyone put one and one together to get the same answer the festivities began again but was a little more subdued. Jack was reluctant to talk about himself even though he had the Guardians' full attention. He told them that when he awoke he hadn't felt the need to eat or drink at first that it had been hours before he first noticed his hunger. Since no one could see him he couldn't ask for food or even help but when he discovered he could touch human stuff he had resorted to stealing food. But it was hard and he felt guilty each time he took it because it was winter and food was scarce so he often went hungry to ensure children were fed. Soon the need to eat simply went away and he attributed it to being a spirit. He would eat from time to time but not because he needed it – or so he thought – because his magic seemed to keep him going. He didn't understand why and preferred not to think about it, he'd rather just have fun and create snow days. It always made the children happy.

North had managed to coax the boy into eating something small, a little bit of mash potato and turkey with a very small scoop of peas. There was also a tall glass of milk. Jack was rather nervous about the whole affair but finally gave in and ate very slowly as he told his story. At the end he pulled out the memory box he had stowed away in his hoodie's big pocket and held it out to Tooth.

"I should have given this to you the moment I realized Pitch had tricked me instead of running away. I'm sorry. Bunny was right; I should have let you take Sophie home and help him and North guard the eggs," he said, his voice meek and a light dusting of frost adorning his pale cheeks.

Tooth reached over the table and gently curled Jack's fingers back around the cylinder and gave them a pat. "They're yours, Jack. Keep them, just promise not to open it without me…Jack?"

He brought the cylinder to his chest and held it against his heart. "Actually Baby Tooth already showed me how to open it. I saw my memories…my family." He fell silent at her horrified expression. Baby Tooth darted to him and rubbed her cheek against his, tittering that it was okay, they did what they had to considering what had happened. Jack smiled shyly at the tiny fairy. Then she zipped off to explain everything to her mamma.

"Did you get the answers you were seeking?" North asked. He sat back in his large chair and regarding Jack as if he were the most interesting being in the world.

Jack gave that sheepish smile once again. "Sort of. I haven't really had a chance to process everything yet. You know, battling Pitch and all."

North chuckled. "Well, I'll be interested in learning more about our young Jack Frost."

"Me too," Jack whispered so quickly that Bunny was uncertain if he had actually heard him.

North seemed oblivious as did Tooth, they just chattered away to Jack, assuring him that they would help him with his memories and learn about his past. Both were a little shaken learning that Jack had died to become who he now was but they choose not to focus on it and praise him for his quick thinking when he saved his sister. The praise both startled and eased the youth and his cheeks kept frosting. Bunny would have teased him if he wasn't so concerned. Jack just didn't seem right. He almost wished for the smart mouth, arrogant boy he and the yetis had gone out of their way to kidnap, to come back. At least then he had an idea of how to deal with him. Sandy looked as if he was in the same vote.

No one left the table until Jack finished eating and everyone was sure he was able to keep it down. When he did it was as if a huge weight fell off everyone's shoulders and the Guardians retreated to the parlor for drinks and deserts. Everyone kept an eye on Jack to make sure he didn't over indulge in the sweets – especially Tooth who berated North for serving so many sweets and how horrible they were for Jack's beautiful teeth – but Jack avoided them at all cost. He eyed them cautiously, as if they might bite and then turned his back on them. North seemed a little disappointed but let it go considering what had happened earlier. So he decided to take everyone's attention away from that and made a toast. The yetis poured champagne for everyone and handed them out. Jack stared at the bubbling beverage in confusion.

"Is it soda?" he asked Bunny.

The Easter Spirit gave him a confused look before grinning in amusement. "Nah, mate, it's champagne. You know what champagne is, right."

Jack's brows bunched and eyes narrowed. "Of course I do. It just looked like a soda Jamie and Sophie like to drink every so often. Their mom says it's too sweet but Jamie…" He glanced at North and button up. Whatever Jamie did to get the soda Jack didn't want to say. He didn't want to get his first Believer on the Naughty List. "Really likes it."

"Ah," North said with a nod.

Bunny snickered. "Nice cover," he told Jack, earning a small grin.

North raised his flute and began a rather long winded toast to their success to defeating Pitch, thanks to Jack and his quick thinking in keeping the Last Light from losing faith and how if it weren't for that faith they never would have got Sandy back. The other three agreed wholeheartedly and raised their glasses to Jack. The boy against frosted in a blush and when the others drank from their glasses he only hesitated a moment before doing the same and nearly choking on it.

He raised a hand as Bunny went to slap his back and Tooth rushed to his side. "I'm okay…it just tickled my nose. It's…good."

Jack was a poor liar but at least he knew to put the glass aside and avoid it for a while. He sipped from it from time to time but didn't drink more than one glass even when the others indulged themselves. Of course Sandy and Tooth didn't drink much and couldn't stay as long as North would have liked but they had duties and had already spent far too long away from the children. Tooth's fairies were still recovering from their ordeal and Sandy could only create so many dreams when he was also trying to focus on conversations and celebrating. He ruffled Jack's hair and signed once more just how proud he was of the youth before offering a small bag of dreamsand just encase Jack ever needed sleep and sweet dreams. Then, as if it was an afterthought, he gave Jack a big hug. The boy's eyes widened in surprise before he hugged the smaller being back and again there were tears in his bright blue eyes. Tooth gave Jack a hug as well and a kiss to the cheek before Baby Tooth chattered at her and chased her away from the boy.

After that things slowed down. North sat in an armchair and chatted away as he enjoyed a glass of bourbon. Bunny sat across from him, too tired to consider going back to the Warren right away and the mess that was waiting for him. North and Jack had promised to help him clean up the destruction Pitch's Nightmares had caused but no one was in the mood just yet. Every tunnel was littered with broken eggs and it was just too heartbreaking to look at right now.

He swirled his own bourbon. It had been a long time since he and North had spent any real time together; their rivalry had gotten a little out of hand in recent years and the fact that Pitch had decided to attack on his holiday just made it all the worse. Why him? Why his holiday? Of course he knew why. Bunny and Pitch had a long history but he never once thought that the Boogeyman would try to destroy Easter after all these eons.

"Where's Jack?" North suddenly asked as he looked around.

It was quiet, too quiet. There wasn't even an elf in sight which in itself was a bad sign. Bunny put down his glass and got out of his chair. "I don't know," he answered as he looked around. The boy was no longer in the large arm chair he had been in when they all sat down to play cards. Jack declined playing and opted to watch even though North offered to teach him to play poker. Hell, North even joked that Jack could win a basket full of eggs from Bunny with little trouble but Jack just pulled his knees to his chest and said another time. The kid was flighty when he wanted to be.

Bunny scanned the entire of room and each window. Each window as still firmly closed but the room was empty. "Where the keck did the ankle-bitter go?" he asked himself.

North stood as well. "Yes, and where did the…oh dear."

Bunny followed North's gaze to see two elves sitting on one of the rafters. A pair of pale feet dangled over the side and the crook of a familiar staff could be seen. Bunny wished Tooth and Sandy were still with them, it would make it easier to see what was up with that dingo.

"I'll check on him," he told North as he crouched down. Then he sprung upward and reached up. His powerful legs gave him enough spring that he could grasp the beam and swung himself up. It took a split second to balance himself before he carefully made his way to the elves. "Alright you little show ponies, what you all doing up here?"

One of the elves – Dingle, Bunny thought absently – was trying to get at Jack's feet as the other held onto the blue slippers they had tried to give Jack the day he was brought to Santoff Claussen. They gave Bunny a hopeful look as if hoping he would help them get the slippers on Jack's bare feet. Bunny was a little surprised. Judging by Jack's aversion toward the slippers the first time the elves tried to give them to him Bunny was surprised that Jack would be so still and letting them. Oh wait, the kid wasn't letting them, he was asleep and had no clue what the little blighters were up two.

"I highly doubt he would appreciate that," Bunny told the elves but he grinned and carefully snagged one of the boy's ankles. The elves cheered. "Shh…" Both elves zipped their lips as Bunny gently slid one slipper on Jack's left foot then did the same to the right. "Better?"

The elves nodded then hustled down the length of the beam and shuffled down the side of the wall until they reached the floor and hurried past North. The Guardian of Wonder just shook his head in disbelief. "Bunny, is Jack alright?" he called up to the Pooka.

Bunny waved an arm to silence his friend. He shuffled forward on the beam, careful not to step on Jack when the boy shifted in his sleep. "Whoa, mate. You don't want to be rolling off now, you hear?"

The boy murmured in his sleep but just as he looked as if he might roll off Bunny caught him. He nearly burst out laughing, not so much at Jack nearly falling off the rafter but because tucked against Jack's chest was a small shot glass with a little bit of bourbon at the bottom. He shook his head in bemusement.

"Nick, how much did Jack drink?" he called down to North, sure that he wouldn't wake Jack up even if he screamed in the boy's ear.

North took a moment to think. He strolled over to the snack table where Jack had left his flute of champagne. "Only half his champagne and I gave him a little bourbon. Why?"

"That's it?"

"Dah?"

Now Bunny couldn't help but laugh. He shook his head and very carefully picked the sleeping sprite up. Jack murmured and pressed his face into Bunny's furry shoulder. "Wrap your arms around me, Snowflake," Bunny instructed as Jack momentarily woke.

"Huh?"

"Just hold on, mate." Making sure he had a good hold on Jack and that his staff was tucked between them he jumped off the rafter and landed on the polished wood floor in front of North. When he straightened Jack was already back to sleep. "Looks like he can't handle his liquor. Poor guy. I guess that's another thing we'll have to keep an eye on. Course there's next to nothing to him and if he doesn't eat properly…"

"Yes, no alcohol…or at least very limited and only if he eats while drinking," North agreed as he reached to take Jack from Bunny but the Pooka stepped back and shook his head.

"I've got him," Bunny insisted. He surprised himself with his desire to protect the sprite he once despised. That felt like a life time ago. Now he felt to need to protect the boy no matter how crazy Jack might drive him. He and North agreed that unless Jack was eating a proper meal directly before or after drinking they would not allow him to have any alcohol but even then they would monitor him and until they knew he could handle it would limit it to one glass or shot. Quite frankly Jack didn't object and was rather happy not to taste the vial stuff for several more years.

Of course waking up in Bunny's arms on North's sofa the next morning brought a whole new wave of embarrassment and frost covered cheeks that would have the Pooka teasing him for years to come.


	3. Chapter 3

Things Jack Shouldn't Do, Eat or Drink 3

Jack had left the accursed slippers in the bedroom North insisted was his and remained in his bare feet as he went about doing his own thing. It seemed no matter how much the other Guardians assured him he was now one of them he was having a hard time accepting it just yet. Out of all the Guardians he visited North the most, most likely due to the location and the Guardian of Wonder's schedule but as Halloween neared Jack found himself alone once more. North and his yetis were in a rush to finish building toys for Christmas. Jack had his own duties but felt to need to talk to at least one of the other Guardians every few days if only to ensure that he really was one of them enough if he never stuck around for long but with everyone busy all he had left was Bunny and while they had become friends Jack didn't really want to go to the Warren. Bunny was almost always busy with mixing paints or working on his plants and complained about the cold that always followed in Jack's wake. It wasn't as if the sprite had any true control over it, it was a part of him as much as the warmth was a part of Bunny. So Jack often decided against visiting Bunny unless invited. That wasn't often that first year.

In the end Jack returned home to Burgess after making sure all the leaves were painted for autumn and falling as they should. Frost covered much of the Northern Hemisphere and snow had fallen on the most Northern regions. Jack was rather happy with it all. While his emotions were still jumbled by all that had happened in less than a year he had kept his powers under control and not caused on early blizzard. No, the world had the hint of winter in the air but not the bitter cold or snow, not yet. He wanted this Halloween to be perfect for the kids this year. He wanted all the holidays to be perfect for them even if he knew that wasn't always possible.

He sat on top of a hydro pole and watched as kids in bright costumes paraded down the streets with bags, going door to door saying "trick or treat". He smiled at the many outfits; monsters and fairies, princesses and super heroes. They were all very cute and seemed to be having fun. He wanted to join them, to dress up and gather candy as well but that would never happen, no one could see him. Sure he had gained a few Believers last Easter but they were sure to have forgotten him by now just as the Guardians would in time. He hugged his knees and pressed his face against them. Yeah, it wouldn't be long now.

He gazed down, spotting Jamie and Sophie and hugged himself tighter. He wanted to go down there and say hi but was afraid to. He hated being afraid but what if they walked through him? What if they no longer Believed in him? What if..?

"Jack!"

"Wha..." Jack jumped in surprise and tumbled off the hydro pole. The wind caught him before he hit the ground and looked up when he heard a tiny giggle.

"Jack's silly!" Sophie laughed as the ice elf landed on the sidewalk.

Jamie rushed up to the winter spirit with excitement and worry. "You're here! I was afraid I dreamt the whole thing except the others remembered seeing you and Santa and the others last Easter and…are you okay?"

Wiping back his tears Jack smiled. "Course I am, squirt. You two just surprised me is all."

Jamie's head tilted to one side as he eyed the older boy. "Are you sure? You look like you were crying."

The child was very observant but Jack just smiled. His heart was racing as he tried to calm himself. He honestly thought the same thing, that everything that had happened last Easter was a dream. The idea that after 300 years someone finally believed in him was both thrilling and very frightening and all he wanted to do was hug Jamie tightly to assure himself that he could. Sophie decided to make the first move and through herself at Jack. She hugged him tightly around the legs.

"Jack Jack, we miss you," she said, her face rubbing his hip.

This time Jack nearly did cry. He squat down and wrapped his arms around her small form. "I missed you, too, Sophie," he said, pressing his face into her hair and letting a few tears fall. He took a deep breath, loving the smell as her hair and just everything about her. It was almost like holding his little sister so long ago.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jamie asked again as Jack and Sophie broke apart.

Jack grinned, his happy mask firmly in place as he ruffled the younger boy's hair. "What, you jealous? Come here then."

Before Jamie could duck away Jack snagged him and gave him a fierce hug, and just like when he held Sophie a thrill raced through him and the memory of holding his sister – this time a Jamie's age – rolled through him and he held on just a little longer than he should have. Kids who couldn't see Jack walked by giving Jamie and Sophie curious looks as Jamie patted Jack's invisible back. Jack immediately released his young friend.

"Sorry, I may have just put you on some of their crazy lists," he apologized, looking utterly sheepish.

Jamie just smiled at him. "Hey, do you want to go trick or treating with us?"

Jack gave a shrug. "Well I can't collect candy but I can watch."

The smaller boy tapped his chin thoughtfully then glanced at Sophie and back. "Maybe you can. Come on, Caleb and Claude are just around the corner. I've got an idea."

After what happened Easter and how Jamie and his friends had helped the Guardians Jack knew better than to argue so he hurriedly followed his two young friends until they found the twins. He wasn't expecting the two boys to see him or be so excited. Jamie whispered his plan to the two boys and then smiled ear to ear as they ran into their house and returned a few minutes later with an old white sheet and with two eye holes in it. Sophie tugged for Jack to kneel down and Jamie and the twins pulled the sheet over Jack's head, adjusting it so that he could see out of the holes.

"You've got to be kidding me," Jack laughed. "No one's going to see me."

"Maybe not you but they'll see the sheet," Jamie explained.

"Come on," Claude said, grabbing Jack's elbow. "Let's get some candy."

Again Jack marveled over the fact he had Believers and they could not only hear and see him but touch him as well. Sophie held his hand as they made their way house to house and for the first time in his long life Jack collected Halloween candy with other children rather than pick up the odd piece he found while wondering the streets or snagging some out of someone's bag. Before long he had his own bag of candy and while other kids called his sheet lame Jack absolutely loved it and vowed to keep it forever. Jamie and the Twins vowed to find him something better for next year.

That night he sat on Jamie's window ledge with the sheet wrapped around his shoulders and ate candy as he chatted with Jamie. Both were rather hyper and Jack was so excited about his first true Halloween. It was late but thankfully a weekend so Jamie was able to stay up a little later than usual. It felt nice having someone to talk with even if Jamie was way younger than him.

Of course they both ate too much and Jack ended up with cramps. He put aside his candy bag and sipped at his pop. Everything was far sweeter than he was used to but it tasted good so he wasn't about to complain.

"So does your dad know you're here?" Jamie suddenly asked.

Jack's brows rose in surprise. "My dad?"

"North. Wouldn't he be worried you're out all night and eating junk food? I know if my dad was home right now I'd be in heaps of trouble for eating all this," Jamie went on as he sucked a lollipop. "He's real obsessive about my teeth too. I need to brush if I want him and the Tooth Fairy to be happy. Is she like you mom or something? I kind of got the feeling her and Santa were a couple?"

"My dad? Santa – North and Tooth…my mom? What? Wait…" Jack shook his head as if to clear it. He didn't just hear what he thought he heard.

"I guess that would make the Easter Bunny your big brother and Sandman your…uncle or other big brother. I can't exactly figure him out yet."

Jack's face bunched up in concentration. Maybe candy was as bad as alcohol because Jamie just didn't make any sense right now. "North's not my dad and Tooth isn't my mom. I…we're friends, that's all. We work together. And Bunny is certainly not my brother. He's…I don't know what to class his as. As for Sandy, yeah I guess you can think of him as my uncle. Out of everyone he's watched over me the most."

Jamie looked confused. "But I thought…you and Santa or North look so much alike and he seems to look at you the way my dad looks at me. And the Tooth Fairy acts like my mom. I just thought…sorry."

Sighing, Jack pulled his knees to his chest. "Don't worry about it. I'm still new to this whole Guardian business and really haven't had much time to get to know everyone that well. Everyone has their duties and holidays and I just kind of wonder around and bring frost and snow. We don't get to hang out much." He leaned his head against the window ledge and closed his eyes. "It would be nice to have North as a dad," he said more to himself than Jamie. "Tooth would make a cool mom, too. Things just don't always happen the way we want them to. But it's a nice thought."

Jamie watched Jack with worry. He had never seen anyone long for a family as much as Jack did. The older boy fell eerily silent as he gazed out the winter to the frosted world beyond and the bright moon hanging high in the air. Jamie climbed out of bed and grabbed his spare blanket. The room was cool but not cold enough for two blankets so he wrapped one around Jack.

"Well you may not have a big brother but I do now and I'd love to be your little brother," he told Jack as he tucked the blanket around his bare feet. "And you can visit any time to talk you know. I'm a good listener."

The older boy stared at him with wide eyes before smiling brightly. "Thanks, kiddo. I might just take you up on that offer."

Jamie gave a wide grin then darted off to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Jack should have done the same thing but he took out a piece of taffy and began chewing on the sticky substance as he pondered his young friend's words. Later that night when Jamie was sound asleep Jack was still snacking on his treats. He didn't gobble them down as quickly as he had at first – he didn't want to be sick again – but chewed slowly as he thought about his place as a Guardian and the family he sort of gained. We're they a family? Did the Big Four really care about him?

He smacked his lips, cringing at the feel of his teeth sticking together. He looked about, trying to find another can of soda but there was none except in Jamie's bag. He was tempted to wake the younger boy up and asked if he could have one or maybe even trade him some candy for one but Jamie was sound asleep. Maybe Jamie wouldn't mind if he just took one and left a pile of candy on his desk for him. It would be a fair trade, right?

The sound of wings caught his attention. Turning in his seat he glanced out to see Tooth and her fairies zipping about the town. He smiled fondly when he saw Baby Tooth who spotted him almost immediately. The little fairly flew to him and at once snuggled up against his cheek. He giggled softly and ran a finger through her feathers.

"Hey BT what's up?" he asked only to see her tiny head shook up when she smelled his breath. Her beak fell open as she took a peek at his teeth and then shot off so fast Jack was uncertain what was wrong. Wiggling out from under the blanket he grabbed his bag a candy and followed after her. "Baby Tooth, what's wrong?"

He was stopped a moment later by Tooth. Her eyes were wide with concern and Baby Tooth hovered over her left shoulder speaking so quickly and urgently that the other fairies hummed with worry.

"Wait is it?" ack asked, his concern growing with every passing second. "Is it Pitch? Did he attack-ack? Mmooph, waof yoo oing?" His words became garbled as Tooth suddenly stuck her fingers in his mouth and pried it open to look at his teeth.

"Oh no…oh dear…how could you? Oh your poor teeth. Really, Jack, have you never listened to a word I said about candy? This is awful, there's taffy everywhere! Oh…" she said as she poked about his teeth. "You need to brush right now…and floss. Oh my gosh! This simply won't do! Jack you shouldn't be eating this stuff. Why do they give out such stuff to children, it's so bad for them."

"Mooph!"

"I want you to march home right now and brush your teeth, do you hear me young man?" She finally let Jack go but her eyes held a firm warning that he best do as she said immediately or else.

Jack combed his fingers through his hair. "I…well…that may not be so easy."

"Jack?"

Embarrassment filled Jack. He didn't want her to know about his cave. He didn't want anyone to know about his cave. It was his only safe place and if the Guardians ever turned against him he didn't want them finding his only hiding place. Okay, it wasn't his only one but it was his main one and served as his home for centuries when he returned to Burgess. "I…don't have a tooth brush or floss. I got rid of my last one but forgot to get a new one so…"

"Oh! Well that won't do. Come with me and I'll help you." She took his hand and raced off toward his pond. There she made Jack sit down and presented him with a new tooth brush and floss. She stared there and watched as he brushed his teeth and flossed, then she cheeked his teeth again and tutted about the taffy being stuck everywhere despite brushing. It was the worse candy ever created. Jack would have argued the point but she hadn't shoved the tooth brush back in his mouth and was brushing in earnest.

She laid down the lay that Jack was no longer allowed to have taffy or soda and well…any candy of any sort. But of course when two of the Guardians made candy and chocolates and Jack hung around children that particular rule didn't stick…well not unless she was there to enforce it. North always gave Jack cookies while Bunny would sneak him chocolate eggs and Jamie and the kids always gave him candy and soda when they all hung out. Even if Jack tried to follow the rule it would be next to impossible with so many sweet fanatics. Even Sandy gave him treats when Tooth wasn't around to reprimand them. Of course Jack was diligent in caring for his teeth if only to keep Tooth and her fairies away from his mouth.


	4. Chapter 4

Things Jack Shouldn't Do, Eat or Drink 4

**This one sort of takes place after Memories and Nightmares so if you haven't read it I suggest giving it a read.**

As far as Jack was concerned his first cooking experiment was a grand success. North had eaten everything he made and even praised him for his effort so while the big guy was recovering from the freezing cold that had unfortunately given the man a mild case of frostbite – thank MiM – Jack was intent on caring for him as North had done for him. Now Jack didn't really know much about cooking but he had faint memories of helping his mother when he was human so was confident that he could recreate some of the meals they had made together oh so long ago. The only issue Jack had was North's stove. Since it was wood burning and Jack was unable to create fire even if given a lighter, Doris – the yeti cook – had to start it for him each time. She had tried helping Jack but since he couldn't speak yetish and she couldn't speak English there was a lot of communication issues. In the end she had patted his head and sat back to watch much as Bunny had the first time. She would wave away anyone who stuck their head in to see what was happening and when she was sure Jack was okay on his own she went to check on North who had gone back to work regardless of everyone insisting he take a few more days off.

Jack hummed to himself as he moved about the kitchen, dicing veggies and picking out meats. He remembered his father used to salt fish and wondered if he should try the same. It had tasted good, at least as far as he could recall but he couldn't remember how much salt so he poured a box into a large bowl and covered a large pike in it before placing it in the oven. So far everything was going good. It smelled so good and his mouth was already watering in hunger. It seemed so weird that only a few months earlier he had barely ever eaten and while he was used to that and hadn't given it much thought until that feast welcoming him as a Guardian. Now he ate every day. It was simply amazing to him and the fact that the yetis had yet to chase him out of the kitchen let alone Santoff Claussen. Maybe that was because North had given his own room and told him to make the ice palace his home. That still threw Jack for a loop. A home, a real home with a bed and room and food. It felt so strange and Jack as still unsure what to make of it.

Looking about he wandered what he could had to the dinner to make it tastier. North may have thought he hid his expressions well but Jack had caught the way North's brows had bunched and he shot a look to Bunny. Obviously there was something missing. Maybe a spice. What kind of spices did North like? He added a little salt and pepper but was sure that wouldn't do. He leaned over the stove with a large spoon to stir the pot of vegetables and smirked. Maybe he'd make extra for Bunny next time. He was sure the Pooka would like them.

He didn't notice when North and Phil came in the kitchen with a rather proud Doris leading the way. North smiled but shook his head at the sight of Jack working so hard over the stove that was obviously too hot for the boy to be standing by. But he said nothing as he watched the boy wipe his brow with his sleeve as he stirred the pot. It was very heartwarming knowing that child cared so much for him that he would put himself in such a situation. Phil on the other hand was near panic.

"Gawatungh!" the head of North's security cried out in horror and waved his arms as if to get the boy to move away from the hot burners.

Jack jumped in surprise and knocked the pot. The liquid contents splashed onto his sleeve. The boy stared at the wet sleeve before gasping in pain a split second later as the boiling hot liquid seeped through the fabric and onto his arm. "Ow!"

Phil pushed past North and scooped the boy up then rushed to the sink and turned on the cold water. He grabbed a clean tea towel from a draw and soaked then carefully pulled up Jack's sleeve and pressed the wet towel to the burn. All the time he spoke to Jack in a calm tone as the boy sat on the counter and let the yeti care for him. His bright blue eyes stared at the towel pressed to his arm and when Phil gestured for him to hold the towel in place he did so without question as Phil moved off to gather medical supplies.

North took up the yeti's place. "I have the ointment, Phil," he said as he carefully peeled the towel off Jack's arm to see just how bad the burn was. He winced when he saw the blistered skin. "I'm sorry, Jack. We didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay," Jack murmured, staring at the burn in wonder. He had never been burned and while it stung like heal it was also very fascinating. He went to poke at the blister but North caught his hand.

"No, Jack," the older man reprimanded. "You must let it heal properly or it'll scar."

Phil grumbled in agreement as he placed a white medical kit on the counter next to Jack. He pulled out a roll of gauze and small square pads. He patted Jack's knee and continued chattering away even though Jack couldn't understand a word he was saying.

North smiled as he carefully spread the ointment over the burn. "He says you have to be more careful and that hot burners are not safe."

Jack nodded. "I guessed that."

Phil smiled as he handed the square pads to North. The older Guardian gently placed them over the burn before wrapping Jack's arm with the gauze. Then be tugged Jack's shirt over his head and off. Underneath was the t-shirt he had given the boy the first night he had slept over.

"That's better," North said before lifting Jack up and depositing him on the floor.

Jack wobbled a moment, still surprised at what had happened. It had all happened so fast that he still couldn't believe he had burned himself. Less than five minutes had passed between getting burned and being bandaged up. The ointment had taken away the painful sting and if it weren't for the bandage on his arm he wouldn't have thought anything had happened. "Thanks. Sorry, I was trying to make dinner and you guys surprised me."

Phil hung his head and muttered an apology. His large furry hand fell on Jack's shoulder and he gave a squeeze before sitting Jack down and giving him a lecture. Of course the boy had no clue what was being said and looked to North for help but he stayed seated and nodded as if he did understand. Phil only laughed and ruffled his hair then glanced at North to translate.

The Russian was looking in the oven and checking the fish. "He says he's sorry and that stoves are far too hot for winter spirits but understands you want to help out so you should have someone in here with you to teach you how to use everything properly. Usually we use the back burners but in your case you should use the front ones so you don't have to stretch so far. Sound advice."

Jack cracked a grin and gave Phil a nod. "Okay, that's a good idea," he agreed.

"I think your fish is done," North announced as he took cooking mitts and lifted the fish out of the oven. He wrinkled his nose as he placed it on the stove top. "Jack…what did you put on this?"

Phil's and Doris's noses twitched as they sniffed the air.

"I salted it," Jack said proudly.

"How much salt?" North asked as he poked it with a fork.

Jack's smile fell as he watched North's smile turn into something close to disgust as he took a tiny bite. "A box?"

The big man's eyes closed and Phil gave an amused chuckle. He patted Jack's back. "Nehtuk unvit," he told Jack before turning to North with a laugh. "Huy tugh bwergh."

North's eyes narrowed as he glared at the yeti. "You are not very helpful."

The yeti shrugged with a large smile and then gestured for Doris to follow him. The two yetis left with a wave to Jack.

"What did he say?" Jack asked as North leaned against the counter.

"That I should not be baby and suck it up," North grumbled as he shot the fish a look that could kill if the fish were not already dead.

Jack's brows creased and he stared at the man. "What?"

North only shook his head and gathered two plates from a cupboard. "Is nothing. Phil just being silly self," he said as he began serving the food.

An inkling of what was the problem filled Jack as he watched North place the two plates on the table along with the cutlery. To Jack it looked good, not as good as the food North or his yetis made but still yummy if not a little too salty. Nonetheless Jack dug in. He remembered to chew slowly and drink plenty of water. North on the other hand ate even slower and drank far more water. The look on his face was not one of enjoyment.

Placing his fork on his plate Jack looked down at his hands before finding his courage to look up and meet North's eyes. "You don't have to eat it just to make me feel good," he said carefully. "I mean it's been centuries since I ever did anything like this so if it doesn't taste good you won't offend me by not eating it."

North paused mid chew and looked Jack over before swallowing the food in his mouth. "Jack…it's not bad it's just…not what I'm used to."

"You didn't like the soup earlier either," the boy pointed out.

The large man looked ashamed. "It's not that I didn't like it…it was good but as you said it's been many years since you last cooked. Perhaps you will allow me to teach you how to cook?"

Jack bit his lip as he stared at their food. Maybe he could use a few lessons. "Okay," he agreed.

North gave him a smile as he pushed his plate away. "Tell you what, let's have pizza."

Jack's eyes widened. "Wait, you actually eat pizza?"

The older Guardian laughed. "Dah, America seems to have a large hold on the world. Bunny dared me to try it some thirty years ago. Very delicious and from what I hear teenagers love the stuff."

A small layer a frost covered Jack's cheeks as he thought back to only a few weeks earlier when he had tried his first slice with the Burgess kids after bringing the town its first snow fall of the season. "Yeah, I've heard that too."

"Then lets get started, no?"

Jack pushed his plate aside as well. They cleaned up quickly before North showed Jack how to make the best pizza in the world. They made small personal pizzas with a variety of toppings and although Phil had been the one to instigate the rule of Jack being supervised while cooking and receive proper training it was Jack who went out of his way to find new recipes for North to help him with. Jack didn't cook all the time only every so often but when he felt the urge to try out something new he always made sure it was on days North wasn't busy. It was one of Phil's many, many rules for Jack after he moved into Santoff Claussen.


	5. Chapter 5

Things Jack Shouldn't Do, Eat, or Drink 5

It had been an accident. Jack never meant for it to happen it just did. He had finally got Bunny to stop being such a stick in the mud and hang out with him, even challenged him to a race the next…pow! It all went to hell.

Jack had discovered that the best way to get Bunny to forget about his eggs for a while and have fun was by being challenged to a race and considering they were in the Warren, the giant rabbit's home turf, he had laughed and agreed. It turned from a race to tag to catch as they race about the lush meadows and dense forests and Jack couldn't help but marvel again at the fact that Bunny's magic had created it all underground. Of course Bunny used that as a distraction and would creep on Jack and tackle him.

A squeal of surprise escaped Jack as Bunny tickled him in the canopy of one of the many trees before dropping down and running in the opposite direction. It took Jack a moment to recover before he would laugh and give chase. Catching Bunny was not an easy task and usually after a few minutes the Pooka would turn the table and start chasing after Jack before he was even tagged. This went on for hours and Bunny admitted it was the most fun he had in ages. Honestly, it was the most fun Jack could remember as well…even if there was no snow.

He and Bunny had become good friends since the whole thing with Pitch over a year ago. They still had their issues but now that Jack lived in Santoff Claussen and was easier to find – for one reason or another Bunny felt the need to check up on him every few days – and Bunny had begun to relax around him. They still teased each other and often argued but they also competed against each other and had a lot of fun.

Jack giggled as Bunny got him again. The Pooka had gone out of his way to learn every ticklish spot on Jack and even found some rather embarrassing ones that they both agreed should be left well enough alone. They were a little…erh…arousing.

This time Jack had been hiding in a tree that hung over one of the many dying pools and tried very hard to stifle his giggles as he watched Bunny scent the air. This tree was loaded with blooms that Jack hoped would mask his scent – yeah it as hard to hide from someone who could track people just by sniffing the air. Jack got low on the branch he was balanced on and stretched out on his belly. His snowy white hair blended in well with the white blooms and he was certain that this time he had found a good place to hide. Now all he needed to do was wait until Bunny was directly below him and he could pounce and finally tag him.

Bunny lowered his nose to the ground and sniffed it and then again sniffed the air. A small smile lifted one corner of his mouth as his whiskers twitched and ears swiveled toward the apple tree. He couldn't see Jack but he was certain that was where the ankle-bitter was hiding. Getting low he shuffled forward and placed on his weight on his hind legs then leapt at the tree.

Jack let out a cry and dropped from the tree to avoid another tickling only for Bunny to bounce off the tree and tackle him. "No fair!" Jack yelled between giggles but rather than land on the ground the splashed into the pool of colorful water. He gave a startled gasp and panic filled him as memories of his death suddenly filled him. He began struggling in Bunny's arms, the need to get back to the surface so overwhelming that his powers lashed out.

Cold laced through the water and Bunny was forced to let Jack go as it bit at him. He stared at the youth in shock as water particles began to turn to ice all around the boy as Jack kicked and flapped his arms under the water. Fearful, he reached out for the boy and with one tug of his hoodie sent Jack back toward the surface before swimming back up himself. When he broke the surface he stared in shock as Jack managed to get himself to the shore opposite of where Bunny pulled himself to. The moment they were both out the water froze over as did every river and pond throughout the Warren. Snow began to fall in large flakes over the usually warm paradise.

Bunny looked around in surprise. It had never snowed in his Warren. His eyes narrowed as the temperature dropped and the snow increased. The more delicate flowers began to welt under the unusual weather. "Frost!" Bunny snapped as he glared at the boy.

Jack sat on the other shore, his chest heaving and eyes wide with fright. His panic filled eyes met Bunny's and widened more when he saw the anger they held. Before Bunny could say anything more the boy snatched up his crook staff from where he had dropped it and took off. He darted into the nearest tunnel and was gone. A moment later the snow stopped and the spring warmth took over once more.

Standing, Bunny stared off in the direction Jack had gone. "What in the world just happened?" he murmured to himself. He glanced back at the pond and while everything else was melting it wasn't. It was solid ice and would remain that way until a few days before Easter.

He told North what had happened. They Guardians had learned months earlier that Jack had drowned but Bunny had not thought that he would now had a phobia of water, although it did make sense. It was why the boy's pond in Burgess took so long to melt and why the ice was always so thick. He was proud of Jack for saving his sister but horrified when he learned the boy had fallen through think ice and drowned in the freezing. He apologized to Jack for his thoughtlessness and offered to teach him to swim. They all did but it was not an easy task.

Getting Jack in the water was a chore. North tried to coax him, even held his hand as they walked into his large pool. Jack got as deep as he knees before pulling away and hiding in the rafters. Bunny tried carrying him in but that led to another panic attack that nearly froze North in the pool. So they warmed the water and tried to pretend it was a very large bath tub. That almost worked until Jack submerged his head and then he panicked again and Bunny and North only had a split second to get out of the water before it froze again. Phil had told them to give it up for a while as he wrapped an oversized fluffy towel around Jack and assured the boy that he didn't need to learn to swim. Jack had smiled and took comfort in the yeti.

"No," North said sternly as he walked up to Jack. He crouched down to Jack's level, something he began doing whenever to do whenever Jack was distressed. "This is the type of fear Pitch can turn against you. If you don't learn to swim he could throw you into lake while in battle. If your power unleashes then it could cause more damage than Pitch himself can. Remember Warren and how quickly everything froze and Bunny says you were under for only handful of seconds, no?"

Jack swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded. "I guess."

"Good boy, now let's try again."

"Can we try again later? I want to learn but…I just need a few a break," Jack said softly as Phil rubbed his arms.

North shook his head. "No, Jack. If we don't do this now you'll avoid it for as long as possible and I doubt Bunny wants to be dragging you in here again."

The boy chewed on his lower lip but finally nodded and tried yet again and again until finally he could take no more. Before he could even figure out how to keep his head above water – his legs felt sluggish trying to kick the water and every time his head submerged he could stop himself from panicking – he fled the North Pole and flew as fast as he could to the safety of his cave.

He hid in the small cavern for two days, his eyes squeezed tight as he listened to not only the Guardians but also the Burgess kids call his name as they searched for him but no one found his cave, not even Bunny whose nose should have picked up his scent. He waited until the Guardians moved on to other parts of the world in their search and the kids had gone home to bed before emerging from his cave.

When he was sure he was alone he stood at the shore of his pond and glared at it with anger and hate. Pitch had once given him a nightmare where he was trapped under the water and unable to break free and left to rot by the Moon. North was wrong, Pitch already knew his greatest fear and it wouldn't matter if he was thrown in the water because he would always be afraid of the water. No, he didn't need to conquer this fear to be able to fight the Nightmare King he needed to conquer it for himself.

It was still early spring but the ice was almost completely melted now to show the glass like surface of his pond. The Moon was only a quarter full but still reflected brightly on the water's surface. Taking a deep breath Jack wadded into the water. He was nearly to his waist when he paused as his fear gripped him once more. He swallowed it down and pushed forward. He could do this. He could do this.

"Jack?" a small voice called from the shore line.

Jumping in surprise Jack turned around. There on the shore stood Jamie in his pjs and slippers. "Jamie? What are you doing out here, it's past your bed time," he reprimanded, secretly happy to have his first Believer there with him.

The boy fidgeted as if worried his friend would be mad at him for spying. "North and the others have been looking all over for you. When I saw you I thought I better come out and make sure you're okay."

Jack blinked in surprise and debated whether or not to continue with his attempt at swimming or escort Jamie back to his home. "Yeah, I know. I just needed some time to myself."

"Oh," Jamie murmured. He hugged himself, looking slightly upset.

Jack wanted to kick himself for saying that to his friend. "You can stay if you want."

That brightened Jamie up a bit and the small boy smiled widely at Jack. Each time Jack saw anyone smile at him like that he such wanted to sing for joy. He was not used to it but it gave him such courage that he no longer felt fear.

Jamie sat on the shore and looked at him. "So what are you doing swimming. The water's too cold."

Jack laughed, looking embarrassed as he ran a hand through his hair. "The cold doesn't bother me."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot you're kind of made of ice."

Another laugh escaped Jack. "Sort of." He looked up at the Moon and took a deep breath. "Jamie, could you back away from the water a little more. I'm not sure what's going to happen if I lose control of my powers."

The boy looked confused but shuffled back a few more feet. Jack would have told him to move back further but didn't want to upset the child. Several minutes passed as he tried gathering his courage before finally plunging his head under the water. He held his breath even though he didn't truly need to breathe. It was just a natural reaction for him. He didn't go deep, didn't try to swim, he just made himself stay under water for until the count of five when the familiar tightness grasped his chest and fear began to eat at him. His eyes opened to see the familiar dark depths of the water, the same water he had drowned in three centuries earlier. He felt the tickling of his powers racing through him as the beginning stages of panic filled him. He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be doing this alone when North and Bunny had tried so hard to teach him to swim in a pool that was lit and he wasn't alone in the murky depths of the place he'd died. His legs felt weak and even though his feet touched the sandy bottom of the pond he felt as if he was deep underwater. Too deep. Too cold. Too dark.

Not wanting his power to unleash and possibly hurt Jamie he broke to the surface and inhaled a fresh breathe of air. His heart pounded in fright. Okay, this was a bad idea. A very, very bad idea. He forced his legs to move as he slowly wadded back to the shore and Jamie and the protection of his staff. His legs didn't want to carry him and before he reached the shore they gave out and he knelt in ankle deep water as his chest heaved with sobs he fought not to show in front of the little boy. Nonetheless he felt Jamie's tiny arms wrap around him and pull him the last few feet onto the shore.

"Jamie, no," he whispered, gently pushing the boy away from the freezing cold water and his cold form. "You'll freeze."

"Shh…" Jamie whispered back as he sat next to Jack, his slippers and pajama bottoms soaked. "It's okay, Jack. It's okay. I called for Bunny. He'll be here soon."

Jack gave a small laugh but closed his eyes. He really didn't want Bunny or any of the others to see him like this. He didn't want Jamie to see him like this but he could calm his pounding heart or the fear of drowning once more from his mind. He couldn't do this. He couldn't make himself overcome his fear and learn to swim.

"And what do we have here?"

Jack inhaled sharply and squeezed his eyes closed. No, not him. Anyone but him.

"Jack?" Jamie asked, obviously not hearing the voice.

Jack was thankful for that. Jamie no longer had any fear for the Boogeyman and there for a forgotten the dark spirit. Pitch frowned at the small boy as he stepped out of the shadows and loomed over them.

"Whatever are you trying to accomplish by jumping in the water?" the shade asked Jack as the youth struggled to get up and push Jamie behind him. "Oh don't worry about the child. He can't see me anymore and I can't harm him…for now."

"Jamie, go home," Jack ordered, pushing the boy toward his house.

"Jack?"

"It's okay, kiddo, I'll be fine."

The boy tilted his head to one side but seeing the worry on Jack's face and small shivers that raked his friend's pale body he gave a nod and hurried off. Jack gave a sigh of relief and took his staff in both hands.

"You made it clear you wanted nothing to do with me so why are you here?" he demanded as he took a step back.

"You're fear of course. It's been singing to me for days. Whatever has you so frightened?" Pitch asked as he circled Jack. He took in the swimming shorts and gave a chuckled. "Trying to swim are you? That's not a very good idea to do here of all places, don't you agree. Heaven only knows what you may find." He moved behind Jack and before the youth could turn to face him Pitch's arms wrapped around him and held him still as they looked over the water. "Don't you remember your nightmare from a few months back? It's out there, you know. Your body. Is that what you're searching for? Evidence that you were once a living breathing human? Shall we go see it?"

Jack closed his eyes and looked away. "No. That's not why I was out there."

"Oh? Then pray tell, what was the point of going out into the water rather than floating about like you usually do? Your friend the wind dump you in?"

"No."

Pitch took Jack's chin in his forefinger and thumb. "Than what are you doing? Shouldn't you be somewhere colder like the North or South Pole?"

"I'm trying to conquer my fear of water, okay?" Jack snapped, pulling away. He didn't turn on Pitch or raise his staff to attack. He ran a hand through his hair and glared out over the water. "I can't swim. No you know so go ahead and attack or throw me in or whatever it is you're going to do and get it over with, alright. North and Bunny are trying to teach me but I can't get over the idea of drowning again."

Pitch looked confused by this. "You're immortal. You can't drown."

"I know that! But it doesn't change the fact that I'm afraid and my powers keep lashing out when I try. I can't do it. I can't and I don't know what to do about it."

Pitch watched him for a moment before sighing. "There are many fears, Jack. But this one is something that you can conquer but not in one day and surely not by yourself. North is an excellent swimming and so is Bunny once you get past the wet animal smell."

That made Jack grin as he gazed up at Pitch through long lashes.

"If your friends ever ask I'll deny it, Frost," Pitch growled as he stepped up to the boy. "But your little family is there to help you and if they can't you can always join me and I will help you conquer this fear."

"What, you're not going to feed on it?" Jack asked almost bewildered that the Bringer of Fear would help him conquer his fear of swimming.

Slim shoulders shrugged. "I can feed on it at any time. Even after it's conquered it'll still remain in the back of your mind. Anger me enough and I'll bring it back to the forefront." Those amber eyes sparkled with the tortures he could bring the sprite but there was also a strange warmth to them as well, almost a fondness in Pitch's gaze. It disappeared as quickly as it came and Jack was unsure if he had seen it at all as bells were heard and the swoosh of a tunnel opening filled the quiet night. And just like that Pitch was gone.

"Jack!" Bunny yelled as he hopped to him. "Geez, mate, you nearly gave me a heart attack. What were you thinking running off like that? If Pitch…what are you smiling about, ya show pony?"

Jack just shook his head and smiled at the taller being. "It's nothing."

The Pooka looked him over and frowned at the icy and wet swimming trunks Jack still wore. "Did you..?" He looked to the pond which was now covered in thick ice and his frown grew. "Alright, frostbite, new rule. Until you know how to swim properly you are not going into the water without someone at your side. Last thing we need is you flash freezing any more pools of water, got it?"

"Sure, Bunny," Jack conceded. He fought back the urge to hug his friend and big brother and just smiled as North landed his sleigh and wrapped him in his fur coat. They were right. He was foolish to run off and try to learn to swim on his own. Pitch was right as well, this was one fear that needed to be conquered and would take quite some time to accomplish.


	6. Chapter 6

Things Jack Shouldn't Do, Eat, or Drink 6

Jack's first Christmas with the Guardians had been an affair to remember. He had never had Christmas before but knew it was very important to the children so he had made it a point to make sure it was the whitest and most beautiful possible but he didn't rush to the North Pole to celebrate with his new family. He hadn't moved in just yet, Santoff Claussen wasn't really his home but a place to stay when he needed to. While the Guardians were supposed to be his family now he still felt out of place and had a hard time joining into conversations so rather than attend the grand celebration North had been going on about the last few weeks he had decided to avoid it completely and focus on making Christmas morning the greatest ever. He would have succeeded in forgetting about the whole affair if it wasn't for the silly decorated pine tree in just about every other house, the holiday music and bright lights.

They found him in China – the yetis that is – sitting on the ledge of a sky rise staring forlornly at one of those Christmas trees in the town center. He didn't even hear them approach and had no clear what was happening as that accursed red sack was thrown over him and he was scooped up, sack and all being thrown over the shoulder of one of the yetis. Jack kicked and yelled. Oh no, he wasn't being kidnapped by the yetis a second time. If they wanted him they could damn well ask.

He heard a familiar grunt and yetish curses – funny how he caught on to those fast than anything else the furry beasts said – and knew almost immediately that Phil was one of his abductors.

"Phil, let me out this instant!" Jack yelled, kicking harder. He didn't have his staff, he had dropped in it surprise when the sack was thrown over him but he felt it now as Phil thwacked him in the rear with it. Jack yelped and kicked out again only to be shaken and his rear thwacked again. "Hey, stop that! Ow! Phil, you better be prepared to be frozen on the spot when I get out of here!"

There was a deep chuckle and another little shake and then the feeling of falling. Jack was never so happy to skip dinner that night. His stomach twisted as he felt them walk through the magical vortex that no doubt led to Santoff Claussen. Then he felt the hard floor as the sack was none too gracelessly thrown on the floor. He rolled with the fall to prevent himself from being hurt. A moment later he was digging his way out of the sack and searching for the offending yeti.

"Phil, I'm going to…whoa." He froze when his gaze fell upon an impossibly large Christmas tree with a mound of presents underneath. He blinked and then blinked again. Of all the Christmas trees he had seen decorated across the world this had to be the most amazing.

"There he is!" North's voice boomed.

Jack barely spared him a glance as he stared up at the tree. "North, this is…this is…wow."

North chuckled as he knelt down to help the boy up. "I'm glad you like. I would have showed you days ago but you took off again."

"Yeah, sorry about that," the boy murmured, too distracted by the tree to really focus on anything else.

"Well if I knew all it took was a decorated tree to shut the rug rat up I would have dangled one in front of him ages ago," Bunny taunted as he hopped over to the two.

"Bunny!" Tooth reprimanded, swatting his shoulder.

Sandy shook his head in amusement as he took Jack's staff from Phil and thanked him for finding the boy. The head of security only smiled and ruffled Jack's hair as he passed the youth. He yelped a moment later when his rear was suddenly covered in ice. Turning he growled at Jack and made a motion to indicate the boy was in big trouble. Jack only laughed as he leaned against his staff. "Thanks for the lift, Phil."

Sandy shrugged his shoulders as he floated next to the boy, offering a sheepish look. He hadn't been expecting Jack to do that to the large yeti. Phil's eyes narrowed as he waved a large finger at Jack. Oh yes, there will be trouble.

Despite the unceremonious arrival, Jack was secretly glad the yetis had gone after him. North explained that the Christmas celebration was a family affair, not some huge party and Jack shouldn't feel the need to hide from his family. They were all there for him and wanted him to join the festivities. Jack was flabbergasted and close to tears, especially when North sat him down to give him his first ever Christmas gift. It was hard not to get emotional as Jack stared at the large box. He wasn't sure what to do. Should he open it or save it, should he rip the paper open or carefully unwrap it. He ran his fingers over the beautifully wrapped box and fought back tears. He never expected to receive a gift from Santa Claus even if North said he was no longer on the Naughty List.

"Jack?" North asked, shocked by the tears shimmering on Jack's lashes.

Jack didn't open the gift right away. He couldn't, his hands shook too much. Instead he threw himself into North's arms and thanked him over and over again for the gift. It didn't matter what it was. It didn't matter whether or not it was something he would like. Santa had given him a gift, him, Jack Frost.

North was surprised by the bundle of frost child in his arms but he pulled Jack into his lap and held him tightly. "It's alright, Jack. It's alright. You're a good boy. I just never realized how much."

Jack shook his head, tried to say he was wrong, that he had been naughty a long, long time but the words died in his throat as he was held. He had a new wish for Christmas, one he was sure North would never grant but he wanted it all the same. He wanted North to be his father. He wanted to be loved and cared for just like the kids in Burgess were cared for by their fathers and mothers. Of course he never realized it at the time but North had a similar wish, to be Jack's father and care for him as if he were his own child.

That was Jack's first and favorite Christmas. While it was nice to get gifts it was far better having a loving family to be with. Of course after a few years, when he was sure he wasn't about to lose his family or be kicked to the curb, Jack's mischievous side started coming out at Christmas. They didn't celebrate Christmas day but rather a day later due to North's exhaustion from travelling the world to deliver gifts. Jack went with him every year and helped out or ensured a white Christmas but when they returned to Santoff Claussen he would wait up in his room until he was sure North was in a deep sleep and sneak into the parlor where the Christmas tree stood with its mound of presents. Jamie and Sophie had told him many stories about how they would try to wait up late at night to try to catch North dropping off their gifts or wake up early to open their presents. For years North had avoided being caught by children but after meeting Jamie and Sophie in the battle against Pitch years earlier he would sometimes allow the Bennett children to catch him in the act. He would jokingly reprimand them for staying up so late and rush them off to bed with a threat of putting them on the Naughty List if they didn't go to bed right away. Of course he never did, those two were good as gold, but the threat was enough for them to hurry to their rooms and hide under their covers until he had left and then they were back down stairs and trying to figure out what they received without opening their gifts. Now Jack was tempted to do the same.

Every year there was a number of large parcels with his name on them. Some were clothes or toys. Sometimes he got the latest electronics. It was always something interesting and made just for him and he loved each gift but he never opened any early. Nope, he had better plans. He placed a tray of cookies he had asked Doris to make while he was helping North on the table next to the arm chair and then set up the gifts he had made for his family. He paused when he found a small box with his name on it. Should he? No, no that'll get him in trouble and after all these years he did not want to go back on the Naughty List just because he opened a gift rather than waiting for North and the others. That didn't stop him from gently shaking it. He frowned. He didn't jingle and was very light, too light to be clothing. He bit his lip. Maybe…

Shaking his head he thought better of it, remembering the last time he had opened a gift before everyone arrived. While North didn't get upset Sandy did and lectured him for twenty minutes about how such actions might upset North and presents should be opened as a family. Still, his curiosity was peeked and without further ado he tore the wrapping off and opened the small box. Inside was a small pouch. Jack stared at it in confusion. A pouch? What the..? He gave a sneeze and was surprised when golden sand suddenly puffed out of the box, loosened from the pouch by the earlier shaking. Jack's brows bunched and he sneezed again before inhaling a mouth full.

"Eh…okay, that's…odd," he murmured, blinking sleepily and giving a rather large yawn. "Ah man…Sandy!" Sleep tugged at his mind and he knew there was no fighting it. He barely had time to lay his head down on the carpet before he was sound asleep and dreaming of opening gifts with his family.

Chuckles and loud voices woke him up hours later and he blinked in surprise as he saw the other Guardians gathered around him. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and looked about. "Hey…morning guys," he murmured.

"Afternoon, Snowflake," Bunny corrected as squatted down next to him. "I see you decided to try getting a head start again."

"No," Jack objected as he sat up.

Bunny held up the torn wrapping from the small box and gave Jack a lopsided grin. "Face it, kiddo, Sandy got you again."

Jack's eyes narrowed at the Pooka but he caught Sandy laughing at him from the corner of his eye. "That's not fair, Sandy."

The sandman only smiled and tapped his nose. Shaking his head Jack fought back a smile. Sandy knew him too well, maybe better than anyone else.

"Sandy's right, Jack," North said as he held up one of the cookies the youth had made for him. "We are family, we should open presents together. Besides, you need proper night's sleep after travelling the world and delivering presents to children. Then you don't over sleep and miss out."

"Miss out?"

North nodded. "Yes, yetis are having snow ball battle outside and have been waiting for you to join them."

"What?" Jack jumped to his feet and hurried to the window. Sure enough there was a snow ball war in progress and he wasn't out there instigating it. "No! Ah man…Sandy why did you have to do that?"

"Not his fault, Popsicle," Bunny teased as he took up Jack's spot in front of the tree. "If you had simply gone to bed like you should have and not played with the gifts you never would have opened it and been hit in the face with dreamsand."

Jack made a face and stuck out his tongue which made Bunny laugh harder.

Tooth fussed over him, her long fingers trying to fix his mused hair. "Don't mind him, he just forgets you're still a young boy at heart," she soothed which earned her a bright smile from Jack. She kissed his cheek. "But the boys are correct; you shouldn't be trying to seek peaks at the presents."

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Yeah, you're right," he agreed, but that didn't mean he wouldn't do it the next Christmas, or the following or the one after that. There was simply some things kids couldn't resist and sneaking peaks at presents was definitely one of them. For as long as he was an immortal youth he would continue staying up late or waking up early to place his presents and sneak a peek at the others. Sometimes he would make it back to his room without being caught, other times one of the yetis or North himself would catch and then there times like this one where Sandy would set a trap and knock him out with dreamsand. If anything the challenge drove Jack on and no matter how often he was reprimanded or told he would be put on the Naughty List he still did it because sometimes rules were meant to be broken.


	7. Chapter 7

Things Jack Shouldn't Do, Eat, or Drink 7

**This chapter's darker. There will be hints of past rape, and torture, and reasons why Jack avoided other spirits over the centuries. Far more serious than previous chapters. Takes place somewhere in the first few chapters of Finding Understanding.**

The first time Jack released Pitch wasn't quite as bad as he tried to appear was one of the worse days of his life. Apparently the other seasonal spirits weren't overly happy about Jack's new status as a Guardian, especially the summer elementals. Jack never really got along with any of them to begin with. He had always been different from the other elementals and he never understood why until after recovering his memories but even now he couldn't quite believe their vindictiveness. Hell, as far as Jack was concerned causing forest fires near towns and cities was far worse than Pitch spreading fear.

Usually Jack avoided the continents experiencing summer or any hot lands but since finally gaining more believers he felt more powerful than he ever had before and thought a little fly over Colorado in early August wouldn't be such a big deal. Yeah, it wasn't so bad. It was a little too warm for his liking and he was sweating after an hour or so which for him was better than usual. But the dry air was starting to get to him. Of course the dry air also presented another problem. Smoke lingered over a lush forest and the smell of burning foliage caught Jack's attention. Forest fires weren't unusual but Jack had never seen one up close and his curiosity was peaked. After all he had more magic now and could handle a little fire regardless of what happened months earlier. So without much ado he jumped off the wind current carrying him south to Australia where he was planning to bring them a much deserved winter storm. He wasn't expecting to come across a town directly in the path of the fire with only one highway leading out of it and right into the path of the fire. Yeah, that wasn't good. At once he cooled upon his power over the elements.

The sky darkened and thick storm clouds rolled in. The air cooled as a rumble of thunder echoed through the land. While Jack normally couldn't create summer storms the effect of cold winter air mixing with the hot dry summer air mixed in a violate way. Only Mother Nature herself could willingly create such a storm.

Lightning flashed between the clouds but never touched the ground. Then a down pour plummeted to the Earth and doused the fires. They didn't go out all at once but still burned brightly which. There could only be one reason for that; magic. Regardless of being soaked to the bone, Jack flew down to the forest and began looking for the source. He knew it was other elementals, he could feel it just as well as North's belly could. There was that tang of magic in the air that only elementals contained. He hesitated, there were at least three of them he could sense, all of which were far older than him. Even with his knew strength he couldn't take them on alone not even one on one. He knew from his last battle against a summer spirit. There as a reason he stopped bothering with other spirits some two hundred years ago. He needed help, big time.

He pulled a small magic globe from his pocket and gave it a shake before throwing it up in the air. A blast of light filled the sky, shooting through the clouds and rippling light the Northern Lights in a mass of blue, green and white. The other Guardians were sure to see the signal and come to help.

Nonetheless Jack couldn't wait for them. He needed to put out the fire before it reached the town. He called upon the Northern wind and increased the rain to try to put out the fire. It turned into a mix of rain, snow, and sleet as the temperature plummeted to near freezing.

"You little runt!" a deep voice snarled as one of elementals slammed into him from behind. "How dare you interfere?"

Jack flipped about in the air and tried to get his balance as he whirled around on the ancient being. "You do realize you're little fire is about to take out an entire town, right?"

The larger elemental snarled, his dark eyes glaring daggers at Jack as his ebony skin flickered in the firelight and lightning. "So? Just another pile of nonbelievers. They'll not be missed."

"Sylph, this is the twenty-first century, we're lucky to have any Believers. That doesn't mean we destroy them just because their faith has moved from us to something else. It doesn't work that way," Jack tried to reason.

"Oh and how would you know?" a sickly sweet voice asked as another spirit floated up to them. She placed small translucent hands on her male counterpart's broad shoulders. "You who are now a Guardian with oh so many Believers? Hmm? You were never worshipped. You were never a God. How would you know what is right or wrong? You're mere a child."

Jack flustered at that. "I don't need to be an ancient to know this is wrong. What would Mother Nature say if she knew?"

They laughed at him as if he said the funniest thing in the world.

"Mother Nature? Oh, Jackie, you are so naïve. Mother Nature is the ultimate serial killer. She kills thousands every year with her storms and earth quakes. A small village is nothing compared to the damage she causes." She tapped her chin with one perfectly manicured finger nail. "And to think, you're her favorite yet you know next to nothing of her center. She is chaos incarnate. She is death and destruction. And she won't care about these mangy mortals."

"You're lying!" Jack yelled as he aimed his crook staff at them. He couldn't wait for the others. Despite his storm the fire was still raging and increasing in strength. "Stop this now!"

The other two elementals only shook their head and chuckled as if they were dealing with a small child. It made Jack shake in rage and the wind picked up with his emotions, unfortunately fueling the fires and pushing them toward the town. He gasped when he realized what he had and tried to call it back to him but nature was not the easiest thing to control when upset.

The third spirit he had sensed caught him off guard and grabbed him from behind. His staff was yanked out of his hands as strong arms wrapped around Jack's lithe form and held him tightly against a hard body. "Fancy seeing you, Jack," a deep voice grumbled.

Jack froze. This was one spirit he never wanted to see again. He struggled, wanting desperately to get away or call for help. He had fought hard to forget this being, had wiped him from his memory to the point that not even Pitch Black could have called it up but now fear flooded him as he remembered the way this summer spirit tortured him when Jack was still new to the spirit world. This was the spirit that nearly sent him into hiding.

The large hand around Jack's waist slid inside his hoodie to caress bare flesh. "How long as it been, Jack? A few centuries now? You're still as small and pretty as ever. Tell me, has the Guardians taken a piece of your tight ass yet?"

Jack struggled. "They're not like that!"

A small chuckle came from the large male and Jack could feel that he was growing excited. "Course they are. Why else would they want you but to lay claim to this?" He groped Jack, squeezing his groin tightly. "But if they're denying you I'm more than happy to oblige. We all are."

Wincing, Jack tried to break free but it hurt so much that he could. "Aphies, stop…" he begged. He could feel the heat of the summer spirit's hand. It hurt, nearly burned. If Aphies or any of the others really wanted to they could burn him. He might heal and never scar but the pain was all the same and the memories were even worse. "Let me go!"

The griffin like being shifted as he chuckled darkly, his hand leaving Jack's groin to touch rake his claws across Jack's belly. "If you're Guardians are so great where are they? Why aren't they here to help you? Do you think if I make you scream they'll show up?"

A whimper escaped Jack as those burning hot claws dug into his flesh. He fought not to scream, not to give in and show weakness. He was a Guardian. He had faced off with Pitch Black. He had people who loved in and children who believed in him. He had…

"Ngh…ah…" he cried as the claws broke skin and burned him at the same time.

"You shouldn't have come here alone, Jack," the female purred, suddenly right in front of Jack. Her long fingers stroked his sweaty face as her lips neared his. Her hot tongue ran over his cold bottom lip and it blistered from the heat. "We're going to burn you up from the inside out. Won't that be lovely?"

Sylph floated up behind her with a sick grin. "Maybe we'll finally clip his wings."

Jack's struggles increased as the heat became unbearable. The fire below raged all around them as did a full blown blizzard but no amount of cold could stop the intense heat and like before with the heat Jack began to feel faint, as if he was suffocating. Where were the Guardians? Where were North and Bunny and Tooth and Sandy…

He was jerked to the left and the next thing he knew he was free falling toward the raging fire. He let out a surprise cry and twisted in hopes his staff might not be too far behind. It wasn't. It was nowhere in sight. All he saw was black sand and shadows above as the three spirits cried out in agony. Then Jack was hitting the ground hard and heat and darkness was all he knew.

. . .

Jack felt a cool cloth be placed on his forehead. It felt refreshing against his blistered skin and Jack pressed against hit. It felt so good. He needed more. He needed to be buried in snow and… A sigh of relief left him as a cold wet sheet was draped over him. Now that was just about perfect.

"You are a needy little thing, aren't you?" a soft velvety voice purred.

Jack hummed in appreciation, his mind blank except for the blissful coolness that surrounded him. Then the memory of the attack hit him so hard it took his breath away. He shot up in the bed, terror filling him not just from the fire but the three spirits that had assaulted him. "North!" he cried, his arms going around the being tending to him. He clung to the taller, needing to be held more than ever before and thankful for someone being there when he awoke. If took a moment before he realized it wasn't North holding him. Or Bunny. Or Tooth. Or even Sandy. His hands bunched in the black fabric as fear took hold of him but he couldn't let go. If he held on tightly he couldn't be shoved away or taunted. He couldn't be made to feel like he was nothing but a trouble maker and mess. To his surprise the cool sheet was adjusted around him and he was held tightly.

"Jack," Pitch murmured, surprised to be hugged so tightly by someone who by all accounts should be his enemy. The boy was shaking like a leaf. His skin was burnt in many places and cut in others. He held Jack nonetheless, drinking in his fear even as Pitch tried to comfort him. He didn't know why he did so, perhaps because of Seraphina, perhaps because they did have that connection. Without realizing it he began carding his fingers through Jack's hair. "What were you thinking? Why didn't you wait for the others?"

"I…" Jack fell silent and just pressed his face against Pitch's shoulder. He didn't want a lecture, not from him. Pitch must have sensed it because for a long time he said nothing. "Thank you," Jack said when he finally pushed away from the dark spirit. He winced as he wiped at his eyes. There were blisters on his hands where he tried to stop his fall by grabbing a burning branch. It hurt like heal but was already beginning to heal. "You're right, I messed up again."

Pitch ever so gently pushed him back onto the bed and covered him once more in the thin sheet. "Yes, but I'm guessing with good reason. You'll be happy to know you saved that town."

Jack blinked and it took a few seconds for his mind to catch up, then his eyes widened and a smile lit his bruised and smudged face. "I did? Oh good. Those idiots were going to burn it down just because they lost Believers. And to call Mother Nature a serial killer…they're crazy. How could they say that?" The shade stared at Jack for long seconds without saying a word. Jack began to fidget. Pitch was never this quiet for this long. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't of…"

"It's alright. They're not completely wrong but the way they act you'd think Sera did it to be vindictive but it's not. It's simply the way things are," Pitch soothed. He stood and straightened his robes. "Nonetheless, that doesn't change the fact that you went barreling into a fight without backup. You may have Believers now but that doesn't make you all powerful."

Jack bit back a retort. He wasn't getting into this, not with Pitch, not when Bunny would be chewing him out the moment he found out what had happened. He looked away and kept his thoughts to himself. At least Pitch didn't bring up anything about the near rape. Perhaps he hadn't heard anything about that. Maybe he hadn't fed on that fear. One could always hope at least.

Pitch rolled his eyes at the boy's childishness. "Fine. You're friends are dealing with what's left of the summer spirits. I suggest you go top side and make an appearance. Oh, and Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Start keeping in better communication with your friends. I'm not always going to be there to save you rear," Pitch said sternly as he turned away.

Jack opened his mouth to speak when Pitch threw him his staff, a little scorched but none worse for wear. "You might need this," the shade said from the shadows.

A smile tugged Jack's lips as he held it, feeling his magic reconnect to the ancient wood. It lasted only a second before he looked up to finish the question he had been about to ask. "Ah…clothes?" he asked, realizing only moments earlier that he had been nude under the sheets and seeing his charred and ruined clothing on the floor several feet away. "I can't exactly go anywhere like this."

"I can't do everything for you, Frost," came the answer from the darkness.

Jack frowned at the shade. Fine, toga style it was. He was never going to hear the end of this from Bunny.

Pitch watched the boy leave with increasing worry. Perhaps it was time he and North had a little discussion about Jack's past. There were things the Guardians needed to know and sadly Pitch was the only one who could possibly tell them because Jack wouldn't, not unless he was forced to, and even then he was sure Jack would rather die than admit to the abuse he suffered at other elementals' hands.


	8. Chapter 8

Things Jack Shouldn't Do, Eat, or Drink 8

Jack was tight lip when he reunited with his fellow Guardians. To say they were surprised by his unfortunate wardrobe change was being mild. They were shocked and immediately worried when they saw their youngest draped only in a black silk sheet and covered in burns and bruises that were already beginning to heal. North immediately went to cover Jack in his fur coat but Jack shook his head and climbed into the sleigh with barely a word. Nor did he answer any of their questions on the way back to Santoff Claussen. He just closed his eyes and tried to forget everything that happened. Sadly the others didn't feel the same way.

"Jack, we must know what happen. We are your family." North asked once they landed and the yetis rushed about to unharness the reindeer and guide them back to their stables. He took Jack by the shoulders as he turned to walk away. "Please, son, you can tell me anything."

Jack looked away, a shimmer of tears instantly brimming his eyes but he blinked them away. "Just some old rivals that were jealous Manny called me to be a Guardian and not them. That's all."

North shook his head as he lifted the boy's left arm to inspect a long burn on the tender flesh. "This is not a little skirmish, Jack. This is very serious and will take much longer than a little hot water to heal. You need ointments and herbs and many, many bandages. We have to remove the dead flesh and…"

The boy pulled his arm free. "I know. I just…need some sleep first. We'll talk later, I promise."

North wasn't convinced but he let Jack go.

Tooth zipped in front of Jack and stopped him. "Sweet Tooth, you know you can trust us, right? We just want to make things better."

He offered her a smile but it didn't meet his eyes. If anything he felt worse. Nevertheless he gave a nod. "I know. I'm just tired."

Sandy held up a hand of full of dreamsand but Jack shook his head, almost fearful. "No, Sandy, I don't want any dreams this time. I just want my mind to go blank for a while. I don't want to think about anything."

The little man looked even more concerned and glanced to Bunny then North. Both stared at Jack with wide eyes as the boy adjusted his sheet before walking past the others and making a bee line to his room.

North raised a hand as if to stop him but Bunny placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll talk to him," he said before hoping after the young ice elf.

"Do you think Jack will be okay?" she asked as she moved to hover next to North, her wings fluttering anxiously. "I mean, why would they attack him? Why won't he talk to us?"

Images appeared above Sandy's head. _Perhaps this is something he's not yet comfortable telling us._

North nodded. "There is much we still do not know about young Jack. Let's give him time. Sooner or later he'll understand that we're there for him and that we'll always be there." He took Tooth's hand and gave it a squeeze and then patted Sandy's shoulder. "Thank you for coming so quickly but you both have other duties you should return to."

Tooth nodded but Sandy was unsure. He looked in the direction Jack and Bunny had gone and debated rather or not he should assist Jack in getting to sleep. In the end he decided to give the boy his space and hope that Jack would one day feel comfortable enough to talk to them about his problems. He and Tooth hurried back to tending to the dreams and memories of children.

North watched them leave before sighing and turning to Phil. The head of his security looked just as concerned as the Guardians. "What happened?" he asked North in yetish.

The Guardian of Wonder pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed softly. "I don't know. Some summer elementals caused a massive forest fire that nearly consumed a small town. Jack was first to arrive and apparently thought he could take them on by himself. Very foolish. Now look at him. What can I do to make him trust me enough to tell me what happened? He's burned and bruised but someone treated his wounds. What happened to his clothes? Where did the sheet come from? A new Believer?"

Phil shrugged. "Give him time, Nicholas. He's been alone a long, long time."

North gave a whisk full smirk. "And who's tied around his pinky, my friend."

Phil only rolled his eyes and made an "off with you" motion as he turned away to command his fellow yetis. North chuckled and headed inside the workshop. Perhaps Phil was correct. Perhaps all Jack needed was a little time. After all 300 years was a long time to be alone with no one to care for him. No matter what Jack said he was still a child and always will be. He needed a parent to care for him and protect him regardless of how much he might object.

. . .

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" Jack yelled as Bunny continued to pester him about what had happened and where his clothes were. He pushed open his door, wincing at the sharp pain that stabbed through his blistered hand. He ignored it and walked in his room. Leaning his staff on his bed he dropped the sheet and climbed into bed, ignoring Bunny's sharp inhale of breath. All he wanted was to forget everything. He could do it. He could rebuild the walls and simply forget. Mother Nature had taught him how. It was a very long time ago but he remembered and he could do it if only he could be alone just a few hours. Unfortunately Bunny wasn't about to let him.

"Jack…those are claw marks. Who did this?" he demanded even as Jack reached for his blanket.

"Doesn't matter," Jack murmured. He pressed his face into his pillow and silently begged Bunny to just let him be for a few hours.

Bunny grumbled under his breath but didn't leave. Jack could feel his emerald gaze on him and fought not wiggle under his hard stare, it was more unnerving than waking up in Pitch's lair under the shade's care. He felt the bed dip near his feet as the Pooka climbed onto it.

Jack gave a gasp and turned to see just what the other Guardian was up to. "Wha..?"

"Someone needs to tend to those injuries before they scar," Bunny said sternly as he gestured for Jack to lay back down.

The boy shook his head and tugged the blankets to his shoulders. "They'll heal. They always do. In a few days I'll be fine."

Bunny snorted. "That may be but if they're not cleaned they could get infected and last thing any of us need is you sick again."

It was Jack's turn to snort as he burrowed deeper into the blankets. "I won't get sick. Besides, someone already took care of me. Anyway, North said he would put ointment on the burns later so you can go back to painting eggs or whatever." He expected Bunny to get mad or storm away, he wasn't expecting the blanket to be yank off him. "Bunny!" He turned to snatch the blanket back but it was thrown to the ground and out of reach.

Bunny caught Jack before the youth could fall off the bed after the blanket. The boy hissed in pain and pulled away. Bunny frowned at the number of burns and bruises but when he looked Jack in the eye they were soft and full of sympathy. "You know you can tell us anything, right?" Jack looked away but that didn't the Pooka. "We're friends, right Snowflake?"

"Yeah…" Jack said, looking up at Bunny in surprise. The Easter spirit had never out right said they were friends. There had always been so much tension between them even when they did have fun together.

"Then you trust me right?" Bunny persisted.

Jack hung his head. "I'm not telling you."

Bunny gave a nod. "I'm not asking you, not anymore. Look, kid, whatever happened I really wish you would tell me but if you won't then that's okay. I'll respect that but I won't let those wounds go untreated. You know my magic is based around life and rebirth, right?"

"Yeah."

"I can also heal. Usually I use a special chocolate blend but considering that's back in the Warren and I'm pretty sure you don't want to travel through the tunnels that gives us one of two choices; A) get one of North's globes and go," Here he made a face at the concept of using North's portals which had the desired effect; Jack smiled and smothered a giggle. "Or I can personally clean them which will work much faster because I can pour my magic into you while I clean you."

The boy was hesitant. He scratched absently at the burn on his inner right arm before hugging himself. "I suppose you cleaning me won't be so bad. Do you need help gathering stuff?"

The Pooka laughed. "Nah, mate, I was going clean you like would any unruly kit, pin you down and lick you clean."

Jack's brows furrowed. "Are you kidding me?"

"No. Now lay on your belly and get comfortable. This might take a while. Thankfully these are only first and second degree burns so it won't take all day."

Still, Jack was hesitant. The idea of someone, anyone liking him just seemed way to intimate. Bunny squeezed his knee and offered him a reassuring smile until Jack finally gave a tiny nod and lay back down. He felt Bunny gently run his paws over his tense back before a hot tongue ran through his hair. One, two, three swipes and then Bunny sneezed, ruffling Jack's hair. Jack gave a giggle when Bunny sneezed a second time.

"Just you wait, frostbite. When you're healed I'll tickle the information out of you," Bunny warned. "No hold still. I wasn't expecting so much soot to still be in your hair."

Staying still and not laughing was next to impossible as Bunny not only cleaned his backside but groomed him head to toe. Spring magic filled every inch of him, mingling with Jack's winter magic as burned flesh peeled away to show new skin and bruises began to fade at an incredible rate. It made Jack light headed and he began to dose under Bunny's tender touches. Perhaps this wasn't so bad.

. . .

North threw this fur coat over the back of his desk chair. He was furious that anyone would dare strike out at Jack. The boy was like a son to him but not only that but Jack was a child even by spirit standards. He was just over 300 years old, forever trapped as a young teenager and while he was gaining Believers and becoming more powerful he was still relatively new. Yes, he could fight and hold his own but not against three summer spirits during the height of their season. He had been a sitting duck. He refused to believe Jack had willingly dove head first into this battle. The boy was headstrong and stubborn but he was not that foolish no matter how he tried to act.

North had to get to the bottom of this. Out of the three summer spirits one had been killed and was little more than a pile of feathers, fur and bloody body parts while the other two were only in slightly better condition, alive but barely and in no condition to tell anyone what had happened. Mother Nature had come to retrieve them and by the look on Seraphina's face North knew the remaining two would not long for this world. He hadn't even raised a hand to stop her as she sucked them up into a funnel and took them to wherever it was she took rebellious elementals. If they lived or died it was no longer a matter for the Guardians.

Regardless, North felt responsible for not being able to arrive in time to save Jack from harm. Why didn't Jack wait? Why didn't he just stay back until the rest of the Guardians arrived? It made no sense. And wouldn't he tell them what happened?

"Perhaps he doesn't trust you," a dark silky voice whispered.

North swung around, his swords in hand without a second thought when he heard Pitch speak. "Boogeyman," he growled, the tips of his blades aimed for the other man's throat. "What do you want? What do you mean Jack doesn't trust me?"

Pitch eyed the swords with distain before clasping his hands behind his back and turning his back toward North, as if daring the Russian to strike him down. "Not just you, all the Guardians. And given his past it's no wonder. What happened some 260-270 years ago when he went to you for help but you turned him away because you were too busy? What was it you so busy doing that you couldn't give the child even a moment of your time? Oh, yes, chasing after me. Do you want to know what happened back then, why he wanted you attention so bad? The boy hadn't even learned how to fly across the ocean yet. Poor thing. He had been lead to believe that the Guardians helped and protected all children. I suppose that never included spirit children."

North's eyes narrowed as he glared at Pitch. "We've wronged Jack. I've wrong him but what does any of this have to do with what happened today?"

"I suppose you haven't seen the extent of his injuries just yet," Pitch nearly purred, his eyes sparkling in delight at North's growing fear. "I'll admit the boy's stronger than I ever imagined. Had I known about his fear of Aphies and why I would have gone after the bastard myself ages ago but Jack seems able to create psychic walls and block out whatever he doesn't want to remember or dream of. He's doing it right now, resurrecting those walls to prevent anyone from knowing what happened back then and how when he tried to get help he was shunned by the very people who are supposed to protect him. So sad, isn't it?"

"Get to point," North snapped, waving one sword in Pitch's face.

Pitch rolled his eyes and sighed. "I see he has your patience as well. Fine, here's the point; Jack is very much afraid of other spirits, has been for many years. He's long for a family yet fears being close to anyone for fear of being abandoned again."

"Yes, yes, I know this."

"Do you know why?"

North was silent as he stared at Pitch, his eyes now questioning.

"Let me spell it out for you. A naïve spirit with no understanding of his powers or potential draws the attention of an ancient who is – how shall we say – perverse and has a taste for young winter sprites. Normally he pleasures himself with them and then kills them but Jack's not like the other elementals, his was once human. He has a human heart and his magic is tied to the human realm more so than any other spirit. He's stronger than any other elemental in history not only because he was once human but because he is the first elemental created by MiM and Mother Nature. He is by all rights a prince yet doesn't even know it. Aphies knew and since no one bothered to tell Jack who he was or what he was meant to do why not take advantage of that?"

"I thought you were watching over Jack at that time," North pointed out.

Pitch gave a snort. "Like you, I have duties to preform and children to terrorize. I can't always be babysitting."

Sighing, North rubbed his temples and leaned against his desk. "What did Aphies do? Why is Jack so secretive?"

Pitch paused, looking utterly uncomfortable. His eyes closed as he neared the window. I was dark outside and while the Moon was high it did not shine in through the window. "He's so small compared to Aphies. It should have killed him yet he survived. To this day I don't know how or why. Perhaps Lunaroff saved him a second time but why not call you to Jack. Why didn't he have you take the boy in then rather than wait so long?"

"Pitch?" North asked, his brows bunching. "What happened?" He had a nagging feeling but he wanted Pitch to say something other than what he was thinking. He wanted it to just be a skirmish that got out of hand.

"He was raped, Nicholas. He was raped and used and hidden from sight. And when he escaped and went for help he was turned away." The dark spirit turned back to North. "Are you proud of yourself? By the time I found him he had already erected enough walls to hide his deepest darkest memories of what happened and became standoffish and arrogant. He hid his fears under a mask fun but he learned to care for himself and not rely on anyone but himself. Why else would he refuse to speak of a second attack and attempted rape? He can't trust you. He thinks you, all of you, will turn him away yet again and can you honestly blame him?"

"I…I didn't know," North said, flabbergasted by the implication.

"Of course not."

The Russian ran his hands through his hair, his swords long forgotten as he took all the information in. He felt small and helpless as Jack must have felt when he was taken by the rather large griffin-man. North had never met the creature but had heard many stories of beast's sexual appetite. He hated to imagine Jack in such a situation. Pitch as right; had Jack been any other spirit he would have died from such abused from the ancient being.

"What can I do?" he finally asked.

Pitch shook his head. "Nothing unfortunately. Just what you are now, I suppose."

"You're as lost as the rest of us," North said with a tiny smile. He pushed himself off the desk and headed toward the door. "I'm going to check on him. You're welcome to join me if you wish."

Pitch stared at him in surprise. He had not planned on staying let alone seeing Jack again – not right away at least. All he wanted was to relay the message to North that Jack would not recover as quickly as before, that his mind was fragile due to past abuse at the hand of other spirits and maybe but the man through a thorough guilt trip but this…well he did want to make sure the boy was alright. Neither man was ready for what they were about to walk into.

. . .

The tongue bath was very relaxing and Jack moaned softly as he adjusted his head on his pillow. Bunny was moving down his back. Magic rippled through him as his body slowly healed. He felt so good, better than he could ever remember feeling. He hummed as that warm, slightly rough tongue swiped over his spine. Then Bunny was licking his rear and Jack tensed once more as his legs were nudged open. It lasted only a few moments before the licks moved lower to cleaned one leg and then the other. Every inch was cleaned as were his toes, even in between each one. Jack shuddered in sudden arousal. It was like a string was tied from his groin straight down to his toes which seemed so weird. He was always bare feet and never felt anything remotely arousing through them before. Then that wonderful tongue was gone.

"Roll over, Snowflake," Bunny said as he sat back on his hunches.

"Uhm…" Jack flushed, frost spreading over him as embarrassment filled him. He was aroused, really, really aroused by the thorough cleaning of his toes. He could feel his erection poking his belly and he sure as hell didn't want Bunny seeing it. "Ahh…I think that's good for now, Bunny. I'm really sleepy and should…you know…get some sleep. Maybe later?"

"Nope," Bunny said, grabbing Jack shoulder and rolling him over. "I promise to…" His gaze fell upon the small erection standing proudly against Jack's belly. He shook his head and chose to ignore it. After all it's not as if getting an erection was an usual thing. There were kits just hitting puberty that would get erections when they were cleaned. Of course they didn't look as strange as human penises but it was nothing to be embarrassed about. He began cleaning Jack's face and ears and slowly moved down his neck and chest and then his belly.

Jack fidgeted, trying to control himself even as his stomach twisted and knotted. Pressure seemed to build in his lower belly and he felt as if he might explode. "Bunny, stop!" he cried, shoving Bunny away just as he released. He rolled away and covered his face. He hadn't meant to do that. He hadn't meant to soil himself in front of Bunny. The other male must think of him as a freak now.

"Jack…" Bunny tried, his paw on Jack's shoulder but the boy shrugged him off and tried to make himself one with the bed. He sighed and sat back. "I still have your legs to do."

"They're fine," the boy muttered rather childishly.

"No they're not."

"Yes they are!"

"Jack, quit being a baby and let me finish."

"No! Go away!"

Jack, what just happened is natural. It's okay. Let me finish. You have a nasty burn on your groin and…"

A whine came from Jack and he hid his head under his pillow. "Go away."

"No. Now roll over."

When Jack refused to listen Bunny got fed up. He grabbed Jack by his hips and rolled the youth onto his back. He bent down and went to work cleaning and healing Jack's groin, making sure not to touch his flaccid cock. He had to hold the squirming youth done as he tried to work but Jack managed to twist just enough to land a knee against the side of Bunny's head just under his left ear. Bunny yelped and jumped back, his paw going to his injured ear.

The boy rolled to his right and off the edge of the bed. He struggled to his feet and grabbed his staff, turning quickly to aim it at Bunny. "You…you need to go. Please, just go. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…I…"

Bunny raised his paws. "It's okay, Snowflake. It's okay. Now how about you hand me your staff, eh? You and I, we're good right? I just touched something I shouldn't right? You're very sensitive remember? I didn't mean anything."

Jack was shaking like a leaf and he backed himself against the wall. "Please go."

"We need to talk about this. I don't want it to upset our friendship." Carefully he reached out to take the staff but Jack jumped to the side.

"Just leave me alone!" Jack yelled.

Bunny's patience was waning and Jack's antics were becoming annoying. He reached out and snatched the staff from the boy's hands before Jack did anything he might regret. It caused the ice elf to gasp and stare at him with unbridled fear.

"Give it back," Jack demanded.

Bunny took the staff in both hands, nearly making Jack's heart stop as he watched in fear as his beloved staff was snapped again. Except Bunny didn't snap the staff he shook it at Jack as if he were giving a lecture. "Now calm the hell down. No one's going to hurt you. I was just healing you, you bloody show pony."

"Please give it back."

"No way, not until you're in better control of your emotions," Bunny said sternly as he tapped his foot. A rabbit hole opened and before Jack could stop him Bunny dropped the staff in and closed the hole.

"No!" Jack cried. Tears ran down his eyes at the loss of his only true belonging but rather than attack Bunny he turned and ran to his door. He needed to get away. He needed as far away from Bunny as possible. He wasn't planning to run face first into anyone least of all Pitch.

Pitch chuckled as he steadied the boy. "Well this is the second time in just over an hour I've had you throw yourself into my arms." He expected the boys to push him away now bury his face in his chest and break down. He stared down in shock at the boy clinging to him than looked to North for help. He was one thing to hold Jack in private but not with an audience.

North only ran a hand over Jack's hair. "What happened, son?"

Jack shook his head and knotted his hands into Pitch's robe.

"All I was doing was cleaning the kit," Bunny snapped, storming up to them but his eyes showed his confusion and worry. "See, his injuries are nearly all healed. Just because he got a little aroused means nothing. It's natural."

Pitch and North shared a look.

"What?" Bunny demanded, never liking when Pitch actually talked to North or any of them. It always meant trouble when Pitch decided to be chummy.

"Uhm…you know your tongue can be a little…intimate when cleaning certain areas," North tried to explain.

"So, he's healing," Bunny argued.

Jack gave a small whine. "I just want to sleep. Not think or dream or nightmares. Just sleep. No more tongue baths."

Without caring what the others thought Pitch put Jack under. The boy went limp in his arms and the shade lifted him up and placed him on the bed. "Have you ever thought, rabbit that not everyone can handle a tongue bath in such intimate places?"

"Hey, I was trying to help him not cause nightmares and screw his mind," Bunny retorted, a low growl rolling through him.

"Bunny…" North warned. "We must talk."

As North explained the problem to Bunny Pitch took a few moments to ensure Jack was covered only in the thin sheet. His core temperature was higher than it should be. It may only have been due to Bunny's magic and intimate touches, or perhaps the fire and heat had caused more damage than he first thought or it could be something else. For now Jack needed to draw upon his element and short of throwing him into the nearest snow bank this was the best he could offer. It would become a new rule not to rush into battle, and so would hiding secrets. The Guardians would become more open and tell each other just about everything, especially if any other spirit or being was holding any grudges. It was time to a complete family even if that meant bringing up old hurts that may have been caused by the Guardians before Jack became one of them. No matter how bad the situation they would work it out as a family. And Jack would learn that when Bunny groomed him it wasn't meant to be sexual…at least not for quite some time but that would be another story.


	9. Chapter 9

Things Jack Shouldn't Do, Eat or Drink 9

Things were tense between Jack and Bunny for several days after the whole tongue bath incident. While the Pooka felt he hadn't been in the wrong in grooming the rather filthy ankle-bitter he felt the need to apologize if only to get the boy to talk to him. Jack had pretty much retreated from everyone and while he didn't run off like he did after the swimming fiasco he did avoid Bunny at all cost. Whenever Bunny tried to get close and talk to him the boy would walk away or lock himself in his room or North's private study. It turned out Jack was the only person other than Phil allowed in there which surprised Bunny greatly. He and North had been friends 500 years, brothers even and he had never been allowed in there; it was North's private sanctuary. He didn't follow Jack inside. He let the boy go as he had done many times that week.

It was days later when he finally was able to corner the boy, although that was not his intention. Jack was sitting atop Jamie's house as he often did, his feet dangling over the edge of the peak just over his first Believer's window. The younger boy was sound asleep but that never mattered to Jack, he just liked being close to his young friend.

"Hey," Bunny said as gently as possible, hoping not to frighten the ice sprite. Luckily Jack didn't jump or try to run.

"Hey," Jack murmured as he swung his legs back and forth.

Bunny smiled, taking Jack's response as a good sign. It had been so long since Jack spoke to him. He sat next to Jack as the boy turned around and spread his legs over the sloped roof. "So how you been?"

The boy shrugged. "Okay I suppose. You?"

Bunny mimicked the shrug. "Not bad, busy hunting down a winter sprite." He hoped Jack would crack a smile but he got no other reaction than Jack pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. "Look, I'm sorry…for everything. If I had known…well I still would have groomed you. It's just my nature. We…Pookas care for our young much like animals would. I wasn't trying to make a move on you or anything."

"I sort of figured that," Jack murmured but still refused to make eye contact. "It just…" He rested his head against his knees. "The last time anyone did that it didn't end well. Well, it was different I guess. He wasn't trying to clean me just prep me."

Bunny hesitated before responding. He kept his hands to himself, not sure if he should touch the boy after what had happened. "What Aphies did was wrong, not just the other day but back when you were a new spirit. No one has the right to touch you in any way you don't want them to, that includes me. And we wronged you. North, Sandy, Tooth and I…we all screwed up. We were so consumed in our own issues that none of us took the time to see you were in pain, that you needed our help. That was what…the second time you had turned to us for help?"

"Second…I think," Jack said in a tiny voice. "Shortly before I found out North was Santa."

"That must have been a surprise. Here you have this huge Russian wielding swords and hunting down the Nightmare King only to discover he's merry old Saint Nick."

A tiny smirk lifted Jack's lips. "That's putting it mildly."

"He was just begging for you to try breaking in his workshop, wasn't he?"

The smirk grew and Jack tried hiding his face against his knees but Bunny saw the beginning of a smile and heard a muffled giggled. "Yeah, he was."

Bunny relaxed a little. Things were still tense but at least Jack was talking and close to being himself again. "So…" the Pooka started, unsure if this was a subject to approach. "How did you get here without your staff?"

The boy sobered up and once again looked away. "I stole one of North's globes. I wanted to see Jamie but…he was already asleep when I got here. So I thought I'd just sit here a while…maybe talk to him in the morning while he's getting ready for school."

"Summer time, Jack, no school."

That was the wrong answer. Jack pulled his knees tighter to his chest and looked at his bare feet. "Oh. I'm never here in the summer so I didn't know. I guess that could be fun. Maybe we can have a…never mind. Too hot for snow."

Bunny leaned back against the roof and stared up at the moon. "You know Australia could use a little frost. It's been awfully warm the last few weeks. No snow what-so-ever. Poor ankle-bitters could sure use a day of snowballs and fun times."

Jack glanced at him in shock but he kept his gaze hidden under his fringe of hair. After the shock wore off his shoulders slumped. "I'll have to steal another globe. I'm not sure how well my powers will work right now."

"Oh I don't know," Bunny said as he placed his arms behind his head. His paws wrapped around the wood against his back. He pulled it from his bandolier and twirled it in front of him. "I suppose you could use this."

Jack breath hitched and he immediately reached for his staff before pulling his hand back as if fearing it was some sort of trick. He hugged his knees tighter.

Confused, Bunny held it out to him. "Take it."

Instead Jack squeezed his knees and hid his face.

"Jack, I should never have taken it. I was angry and didn't think. I'm sorry."

The boy nodded. "I shouldn't have freaked out."

"No…given what had happened to you, you had every right. I'm just sorry I wasn't there for you…both times."

Jack only shrugged as if it were no big deal.

Again Bunny presented Jack with his staff and this time, although still very hesitant, Jack took it. He hugged it tightly against his chest, as if it were the most important thing in the world. Bunny supposed it was to be expected. It was the only belonging Jack actually had that was truly his, that had been with him since the start.

"Thank you," Jack murmured sheepishly. He jumped when Bunny touched his shoulder but soon relaxed and shuffled up beside his friend, not quite touching but enough to show that they were still friends even if it was a shaky friendship.

"I won't groom you anymore if you don't want me to, mate. If I ever have to care for you again I'll just wash you like humans do," Bunny said, keeping an arm around Jack but not pulling him any closer.

It was Jack who took the first step and moved closer still until his head rested against Bunny's shoulder. "No, you can groom me but…maybe we should avoid those ticklish areas, you know…my toes and belly button, groin and so forth."

"That's eliminating a lot of messy places," Bunny teased but Jack blushed so hard he was almost completely blue with frost so the older Guardian nodded in agreement. "We'll figure it out. But you know you shouldn't be ashamed, even Pookas have an orgasm from time to time when being groomed. Perfectly natural."

"Uh huh…let's not go there…ever again," Jack insisted as he snuggled against Bunny's furry shoulder.

Bunny gave a nod. "As long as you don't keep any more secrets. Yeah?"

Jack sighed but agreed. "Yeah. Just…never take my staff again and…never ever break it."

"I won't, you little larrikin, I promise."

"Good."

It wasn't long before Jack dosed off against Bunny's shoulder. The Pooka stared up into the night sky, frowning slightly at the Moon. "And you, young man, should have said something long ago. There's no reason in Heaven or Earth for Jackie to suffer the way he did when we could have helped him. You should have told us how what had happened. Doesn't matter how stubborn we might have been you should have given us all swift kicks in the asses and told us he needed us rather than waiting so long to make him a Guardian. We could have helped him."

Of course the Moon didn't respond, he only did when he wished to but regardless Bunny blamed not only MiM but himself and the rest of the Guardians for neglecting Jack for so long when the boy obviously needed them. Never again. Never again would he allow Jack to suffer as he did. He didn't know how but somehow he would make this up to Jack. He would protect him and care for him as if he were his own kit. Never in a million years would he have thought their friendship and his protectiveness of the eternal youth would turn into anything more intimate but that was yet to come and be on a far more mutual basis.

**Sorry this is so short but it's been a long day and I did over time at work so I'm amazed it was turned out this long. Sorry for grammar and spelling, I've been sitting back and had a few coolers, first time with the house to myself in nearly 5 years so I'm enjoying it while I can.**


	10. Chapter 10

Things Jack Shouldn't Do, Eat or Drink 10

Even after Bunny and Jack patched things up Jack felt the need to make thing up to the others. While he still didn't talk about himself as much as everyone hoped he did do little things to try and make up for his behavior. He helped Tooth and her fairies collect teeth, Sandy conjure up new and exciting dreams, Bunny paint eggs and even offered to help Pitch clean the Nightmares stables – did the Nightmares have stables or were they simply nightmare sand? Pitch had shook his head with a laugh and disappeared into the shadows without a word. Jack was a little upset by that, he wanted so much to thank the shade for saving him but Pitch only said he might call in a favor one day which made all the Guardians worry over what it may be.

For North Jack was unsure what to do. He was already helping around Santoff Claussen and going along with North Christmas Eve to deliver presents. He thought and thought for a very long time as he watched daily life unfold around him. It was nearing the end of summer and Jack would soon be bringing frost and snow to the Northern Hemisphere. Mother Nature had other winter spirits working in the Southern Hemisphere, she wanted Jack to relax after the incident with the summer spirits and the youth seemed more than happy to. So with nothing important to do and the summer becoming draining on his powers, he had decided to stay in the North Pole. Besides, Jamie and his friends were too busy swimming or going on family vacations to play with him. So he had plenty of time to think of some way to make things up with North.

He helped clean the reindeer stables, mop floors, wash dishes – okay, so he broke a few when they slipped through his soapy hands – he even tried painting a few toys and did a rather good job if he did say so himself, even North praised him and kept a few for his personal collection. But Jack felt as if he should do more. Santoff Claussen was his home now and while he preferred to live without rules or deadlines he did feel that he really should earn his keep so one day he decided to try his hand at laundry. Now usually when his clothes got dirty Jack would simply strip down and wash them in the nearest creek then hang them on a branch to dry while he found a safe place to nap. He couldn't do that in the North Pole. The first time he had tried washing is own clothes in the sink of his bathroom and hung them over the bath tub rail North had chuckled, wrapped Jack in a terry cloth robe and took the clothes to the laundry room. He didn't really show Jack how it worked just threw them in with a load of dark then took him back to his room where he was presented with a new hoodie and pair of cargo pants. Jack had been thrilled but he wished he knew how the machine worked. Well there was no time like the present to learn.

No one questioned Jack when he strolled into the laundry room. No one was there to ask what he was up to so he took his time and read the instructions on both the washer and dryer. It sort of surprised Jack to see that there were instructions but he guessed that not all the yetis knew how to use it. He read them a second time just to be safe before opening the washer and placing every article of North's clothing that he found in the hampers. He was confused by that too, why were they separated by colors? He shrugged it off and continued loading the washer. He made sure it wasn't over full and hunted for the detergent. There were a number of bottles; bleach, softener and detergent. His brows furrowed as he stared at them. The bleach said it was for hard to clean stains for whites; the softener said it made the clothing fluffy; while the detergent cleaned. He hummed to himself. He knew he needed the detergent but he had seen several white shirts with paint stains so maybe the bleach would be good. And he knew that he liked the way his clothes felt right after coming out of the dryer. Sure they were still very warm but they were or so soft and he knew North liked that too. So he put in a cap full of each and then turned on the water. It was preset for warm so Jack left the setting alone and hopped on top of the washer to wait as the machine did its job.

One of the yetis came in with a load of clothes and gave Jack a curious look before smiling at the boy as Jack kicked his feet back and forth. The yetis – Gary, Jack thought his name was but he wasn't certain, he only knew a handful by name – ruffled his hair and gave a low chuckle before leaving. Jack only grinned. The yetis didn't reprimand him or tell him he was doing anything wrong and that was always a good sign.

When the ash cycle ended some twenty minutes later Jack shifted the load to the dryer. The warm water felt nice against his arms. It wasn't often he felt warm water and while it wasn't much and cooled the moment it met his skin it still felt nice.

The dryer was already set for hot so all he had to do was turn it on. This cycle took much longer but Jack was patient – or at least tried to be. He found a book and sat on the washer – the dryer being too hot – and read for an hour and a half about carving. Jack could create just about anything out of ice with just a thought but he had never tried to carve it or even wood. It always amazed him when he saw North's creations and he wanted so much to try it. He was so engrossed with the book that he didn't hear North walk in.

"Jack?" the older Guardian asked, surprised to see the youth in the laundry room of all places. "What are you doing, lad?"

Jack blinked and held up the book. "Reading about carving," he said simply as if North was being silly for asking such a thing when the answer was obvious.

North shook his head but smiled. "No, I mean in here. What are you doing in here?"

"Laundry." He gave a shrug as if it was no big deal. "Just helping out."

"Oh." Although North was surprised he was always quite happy that Jack wanted to take on more responsibilities around his new home. "Well that's good. It looks as if this load is nearly done. How about I help you fold?"

A smile lit Jack's face. "Okay."

North handed Jack a basket when the buzzer went off and the youth quickly started pulling out the now dry clothing. He yelped at the heat but shook his head when North offered to take over, assuring the older man he could do it. Once everything as out he hauled it to a table and began pulling out one article at a time and folding it. North would stop him and correct his folds until it was right but he suddenly stopped when he got a good load of the colors or rather mix of colors.

"Jack, where did you get these?" he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.

Jack shrugged as he continued folding. "The hampers."

"All the hampers?"

The boy nodded, still intent on his work and not noticing his mistake.

North inhaled deeply and slowly counted to ten as he put the shirt aside and took out another one. This one was just as bad if not worse. "What did you use to wash them?"

Jack paused as he thought. "Detergent, softener and…or yeah, bleach."

"Bleach?"

"Uh huh." He glanced up with a worried look. "Why? What's wro…oh. Oh no…no. North, I…"

What was once a bright red shirt was now pink with splotches of white. North put it aside like the first and slowly went through the entire load. Everything was damaged and bleached or meshed up colors. Jack swallowed thickly as he saw North's usually rosy cheeks darken with anger. The winter spirit stopped what he was doing and stepped back in fear. Oh no…he had done it again. He had screwed up and made a mess and now rather than making North happy he had angered them man. He never meant for this to happen, he was only trying to help.

As if sensing Jack's anxiety North looked up. His sapphire eyes softened when he saw the boy fidgeting and staring at his feet rather than at the clothes or even the Russian. Shoving everything back in the basket he shook his head and offered Jack a smile. "Paint clothes," he said suddenly, making the boy jump.

"What?" Jack asked thoroughly confused.

"They would make good clothes for painting," North explained. He held up the ruined red shirt and showed Jack. "This would cover you completely when you're painting. I may be able to re-dye some of these but the others would be good for painting. Bunny has bad habit of spilling paint on himself when he tries painting eggs when he's tried and he'll do that the closer Easter is. He's always in such a rush to meet quota on time. And these…" He held up two more tops that were once rich blue but looked light purple with white. "Would be great for mucking out stables, no?"

"I suppose…"

North nodded to himself before throwing everything into the basket. "Alright then, what made you decide to do laundry? You know yetis and are take care of that."

"I wanted to help," Jack said softly, his voice small and very childlike.

"I appreciate that, Jack but why not ask for help?"

The child shrugged, looking ashamed and upset. Rounding the table North took him by the shoulders and made him sit down in one of the chairs. He noted the small rim of unshed tears clinging to Jack's lashes and held back a sigh. It was so easy to upset Jack some days. No matter how much he tried to act tough it was just that, an act. The boy was as fragile as a china doll. Emotionally at least.

"I am not mad, Jack. You tried to help and I am proud of you for that but…"

Jack flinched at that and slouched further into himself.

"You should have asked for help."

"I read the instructions," Jack insisted, still very embarrassed by literally destroying the man's clothing.

"And that's good but had you asked I could have explained why the clothing were separated and which cleaners to use and when. Bleach destroys colors and mixing colors can make them mix especially when using warm or hot water. It's okay, my boy. This happens. As far as I know everyone messes up first time."

The boy shook his head. "Not as bad as I do."

"Nonsense!" North insisted before lowering his voice as if to tell Jack a secret. "Did I ever tell you Bunny used to wear clothing? No? Ah…now there's funny story. Back when he first became Guardian he wore this green lab coat – you know that one he scared you with last year? – well after a battle with Pitch it had gotten damaged. Well being too proud he decided to mend it himself. Did you job but no amount of washing could clean it. That was round time I invented first washing machine. The silly Pooka thought he could use it without learning how it worked. Well…it was nearly shredded. It wrapped around the drum and of course he had chocolate eggs in just about every pocket. Made horrible mess and took weeks to clean. I had to dismantle, clean and rebuild it. And don't get me started on the time Tooth wanted to wash her silks and Sandy tried to help. If you think Pitch turning him to nightmare sand was bad imagine him getting caught up in washer! Swirling gold sand everywhere! We couldn't even put on clothes without falling asleep! Oh such horrors. We were lucky Pitch never attacked at that time."

A tiny laugh escaped Jack as he tried to picture that and then he was giggling. "Are you serious?"

"Took Sandy nearly two days to reform and of course I got blame since it was my invention. And to think I'm their leader." North smiled widely at Jack and squeezed his knee. "So if you think about it this is minor mistake. Would you like to learn how to do it correctly?"

For a moment Jack hesitated and then nodded. "Yeah."

North's smile grew. "Alright then. Now you know bleach is bad for colors so never use that unless washing whites and only when necessary such as bad stains, dah? You can use detergent with it but not much. Now colors can be tricky and best done with cold water. There are darks and lights and reds. Don't mix. You can use bother fabric softener and detergent with these. Now reason for not mixing is because with warm or hot water the colors can bleed into each other and then dry that way. Sometimes, depending on material, this can happen with cold water when it moves to the dryer so best to keep separate at all times. Red is the worse, it bleeds into everything so never ever mix it with any other color except pinks. Would you like me to show you how to set the temperatures for each type of clothing? That changes too depending on the fabric."

For the next hour North taught Jack everything there was to know about the washer and dryer. Not only did he learn how to wash and dry but also how to clean the machines and fold the clothes. Jack was extremely curious and took great pride in doing the laundry from time to time. But like any teenager when it became a chore he began to slack off and complain and whine when North said he had to do it as one of his required chores which really wasn't often. It was only once a week and consisted of Jack's clothing and towels. There was never a set time but North wanted Jack to get into the routine before the Christmas rush so that he and the yetis could focus on the toys. Jack would always do North's at the same time as well as any other laundry needed, asked or not, but he acted like any teen would, put upon and grumpy. But once he was in the laundry room with his music blaring in his ipod Jack could be found bopping around the room and belting out lyrics as he folded clothing or mopped the floor. It was amusing as hell but North discovered he enjoyed doing the laundry alongside the youth and soon it became their thing early Saturday mornings before Jack left to spread snow days and fun times and North to create the latest toys. Of course North had to post step by step instructions above the washer and dryer because Jack would sometimes rush and forget to separate the colors but for the most part he did very well…except when he managed to bleach North's Santa suit which lead to North confiscating Jack's ipod in an attempt to make him focus better and a new rule – no load music or ipods, mp3s or anything distracting until after the clothing was loaded into the washer and set properly. Yeah, going out as a pink Santa Claus was rather embarrassing and Bunny sure didn't let him live it down either.


	11. Chapter 11

Things Jack Shouldn't Do, Eat or Drink 11

**This is another chapter based off Finding Understanding just before Jack and Bunny became a couple and may explain a little more about how that came about as well as bits of A friend in Need chap 3.**

"Boys!" North yelled when a blue and brown blur zipped by followed by one of pure light and gleaming armor then yet another of grey with white highlights. "I said enough!" He ducked just as the blue blur darted over his head and up to the rafters and then banked the last second at break neck speed and went straight down the center of the workshop. "Jackson!"

The bright blur of light managed to follow the same route without missing a beat and North fumed even more. "Nightlight!" he bellowed hoping the older Guardian would have more sense. Of course while Nightlight was perhaps the first Guardian and by many rights the oldest and wisest next to Sandy, he was still very much a child.

The last blur threw himself at the banister just in front of North, gave him a sassy grin and leapt backwards before somersaulting and giving chase once more. "Come back here you show ponies!" he yelled after the two eternal youths.

"Bunnymund!" North snapped as he leaned over the banister Bunny had been only moments earlier to glare at the three. "Workshop is for building toys not playing tag!"

There was a crash as a stack of toys were knocked over. North winced as the yetis shouted at the trio. He hadn't seen who did it but when Jack yelled out "I didn't so it!" he was pretty sure the boy had. There was another crash and Bunny's hurried apologies along with more angry yetis yelling. North held his head. How did this ever happen?

"If I had the three of them causing this much chaos when I tried destroying the lot of you I probably would have won with ease," Pitch taunted as he moved out of the shadows to stand next to the larger man.

Things had changed over the years since Jack became a Guardian. They started out small but somehow snowballed into something no one had ever imagined or thought possible. He had bridged the gap between the Guardians and Pitch. Not saying that the Nightmare King as good but he had changed somewhat. He didn't lash out as often or blame the Guardians as much for his current state. In fact, thanks to Jack, Pitch had gained a few new Believers. It was a rather awkward situation. It didn't help that Pitch was the boy's grandfather as well – a little tidbit of information MiM had neglected to tell anyone. So now Pitch visited North more often than the Russian liked. It led to many arguments and near fights but no matter who much they annoyed each other they managed to stay civil – sort of.

"Yes…" North muttered but he caught Phil's gaze and gave a nod.

The head of security called to several others and a group of the yetis moved forward to try and catch the trio of trouble makers.

"They'll never catch them," Pitch taunted in a sing-song voice.

The Guardian of wonder glared at the shade. Pitch was right of course. It was unlikely that Phil and his yetis would be able to stop any of them let alone catch them but he could hope. "Perhaps you would have a plan?" North questioned just as another stack of toys tumbled to the ground.

Pitch shrugged and leaned against the banister. "And end all this _fun?_ Jack would be crushed."

North growled and stormed away from the Nightmare King. He would not lose his temper. He would keep calm. MiM had a plan and he had to have faith that Manny knew what he was doing by requesting the Guardians to allow Pitch near Jack. He didn't have to like it but as long as the shade wasn't causing trouble he would respect Manny's wishes.

Nonetheless he had to put a stop to this childish game of tag in the workshop. There was plenty of room outside or even in the Warren but not here, not so close to Christmas.

A flash of white light sped toward him and without a second thought North's arm shot out just as it was about to pass him and he managed to snag Nightlight. He gave the small youth a little shake, startling the spectral boy and forcing him to stand up straight. Not a word was needed between them, Nightlight knew he had done wrong and while he offered North a sheepish smile his shoulders slumped as if the large man had taken away all his fun.

North sighed and patted the boy's shoulder. "I'll have Bunny take you and Jack to Warren to continue your game, dah?"

The spectral boy beamed brightly but rather than fly off to find the others he stayed at North's side. It wasn't often they spent time together, namely due to their feelings for Katherine how had not been able to visit along with him. North still loved Mother Goose very much and not in the sibling way he had when he was a young man and she a little girl. Somewhere in Katherine late teens their feelings went from foster siblings to something more but in the end she had left to be with Nightlight on the Moon while North stayed on Earth. It had brought a lot of hard feelings and for many years North had blamed Nightlight for the fall of any possible relationship he would have had with the young woman. Of course North was now in a rather stable relationship with Toothiana so it all worked out in the end.

Nightlight paused when he spotted Pitch trailing behind North. He gave the Russian a questioning look. North shook his head. Nightlight knew the situation and like North did not like it one bit.

"Let's see if we can catch Jack and Bunny, dah?"

The youth nodded and glowed slightly brighter in happiness that North would now play as well, even if it was just to put a stop to the game. His glow also made Pitch take a step back to avoid his light. It made Nightlight giggle and glow just a little brighter if only to annoy the Nightmare King. Then he grabbed North's hand and pulled him in the direction he had last seen Jack and Bunny. Behind him he heard Pitch grumble and call him a brat but that only made him giggle all the more. Of course no one could hear him but he felt rather than saw North smile down at him. Regardless of past hard feelings he would always find comfort in the large man.

. . .

"Tag! You're it!" Jack yelled, managing to sneak up behind Bunny yet again and tagging him again. But just as his hand landed on the Pooka's back Bunny whipped around and pounced on Jack.

"Haha! Gotcha, you larrikin!" Bunny crowed. He wrapped his arms around the boy as Jack yelped and they went tumbling from the center column and down two stories to the first floor. Luckily there were no toys there to be destroyed but Bunny still rolled so that he landed first and Jack landed on his chest and stomach. Bunny gave a grunt as the light weight hit him but it didn't really hurt, Jack weighed next to nothing but that didn't mean he couldn't tease him. "Dang, Jack, what has North been feeding you? You weigh as much as a yeti!"

At first the boy looked utterly confused. Jack was tiny, just like Nightlight, all arms and legs with bony elbows and knees and slim shoulders. The boy was lucky if he was one hundred to one hundred and ten pounds soaking wet. But seeing Bunny's sparkling eyes full of mirth Jack grinned. "Well you know North," he joked. "He's always trying to fatten me up with all that good food. I guess he forgets that I…" He frowned and looked away as he rested his head against Bunny's chest and listened to his steady heartbeat. "If you died when your race did why does your heart still beat and mine doesn't?" he suddenly asked surprising Bunny by his suddenly seriousness when only seconds earlier they were all laughs and playfulness.

It worried Bunny when Jack got like this. He almost wished the boy never got his memories back. Perhaps Jack would be happier not knowing he had died. Yes, he had saved his sister and had every reason to be proud of himself, hell they were all proud of him. He was brave, quick thinking and had done everything necessary to save his little sister. It resulted in his death but Jack admitted had he the chance to live it all over again he would have done the same thing. He had no regrets with the exception of not getting to see his sister grow or meet her children. Others things that bothered him were usually minor, things that never bothered him until learning he had died. His heartbeat was one of the bigger ones.

Bunny carded his fingers through Jack's snowy white hair. "I don't know, Snowflake. I never really questioned it before. I woke up after the massacre with bodies all around me and my injuries somehow healed."

"What if you didn't die? What if MiM healed you?" Jack asked, his voice muffled by Bunny's chest fur.

Bunny chuckled. "MiM wasn't the one to heal me. He was just a babe back then."

"Oh." Jack looked up. "Then how..?"

Bunny winced as the youth's elbows dug into his chest as Jack leaned on them. He gave a small shrug. "Don't know but considering I'm a classified as a spring spirit I'm willing to bet Seraphina had something to do with it."

Jack grinned. "So we really are brothers."

"Sort of."

Suddenly Jack was frowning and looking away again as frost crept up his neck and cheeks. "I guess that's a good thing. Explains why we argue so much, huh?"

"Perhaps…Jack, what's up? You're almost blue. Keep it up and you'll be a solid block of ice."

Jack gave a tiny snort. "Just thinking."

"Don't hurt yourself. Ouch!"

The boy smirked after pinching Bunny's ribs but he quickly sobered up. "I just…I want to try something but I've been rather nervous."

"What did you want to try?"

For several long seconds Jack said nothing, as if mentally debating what to do before shuffling up higher on Bunny's belly until they were nearly face to face. "Okay…I want you to stay still. Just don't move, okay? If you do I'll probably panic and never go through with it again."

Bunny nodded, completely confused. "Alright."

But Jack still didn't move or do anything. He stared at Bunny with wide fearful eyes as he chewed his lower lip, looking utterly adorable. "Uh…can you…can you close your eyes? I know it's silly but…please?"

Sighing, Bunny did as he requested. "You better not freeze me to the floor again or I'll kick that scrawny pasty butt of yours all the way to Antarctica."

"It shouldn't be quite that bad," Jack murmured.

Bunny felt the boy shuffle closer before leaning forward. Cold breath tickled Bunny's nose and sent a chill down his spine and then soft icy lips hesitantly pushed his mouth. Bunny inhaled sharply in surprise, inhaling cold wintery air mixed with a heady mint scent. It was hard to stay still. Every instinct in Bunny cried for him to grab the smaller being and show him exactly how to kiss a Pooka properly but he held himself in check and let the boy do as he pleased. The kiss lasted barely a handful of seconds, definitely not long enough in Bunny's book but when Jack pulled away he found it next to impossible not to touch him. Jack's eyes were wide and fearful, as if he had done something wrong.

"Wow," Bunny breathed, his breath coming out foggy. "Not that I'm complaining but what brought that on?"

Jack rubbed the back of his head. "I don't know. I just…I want to…hmm…I want you. I want you to touch me again. I know I was scared before but…I'm not scared anymore. I think…no, I know I love you. I have for some time but I just couldn't let myself believe that you would ever come to like me let alone love me and – Bunny!" he yelped as he was suddenly wrapped up in Bunny's arms and they rolled over until Jack was suddenly beneath him.

"Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?" the Pooka said in a low growl, his stomach knotting with need.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I guess I'm not allowed every again, huh?" Jack asked, suddenly very freighted and unsure.

"No, you're not allowed to stop." He rubbed his nose across Jack's face and then back to his nose. A cool hand touched his cheek, giving him pause as Jack lifted his lips to Bunny's mouth once more and again tried kissing him. Bunny smiled into it and licked at those cold lips, pausing from time to time to speak and make promises. "I'll never hurt you, love. We'll take it as slow as you want. We'll do whatever you want." He kissed the tears that always seemed to be in Jack's beautiful eyes before showing Jack just how kissing was done with one of his kind.

Jack mewed and wrapped his arms around Bunny's neck to try and deepen the kiss as he had seen couples do. His stomach twisted with familiar need but he was happy knowing Bunny would never force him to go any further than he wanted. He felt safe with his Bunny, as if nothing could ever hurt him again. He knew that was foolish because Bunny could always turn around and hurt him worse than Aphies ever did but something told him that would never happen.

"Ahem," a deep baritone suddenly coughed.

Jack broke away from Bunny and looked up in horror at North standing over them. He hadn't even heard the loud clop of the man's heavy boots. Frost raced along his cheeks. "Oh…uh… Hi North," he said as cheerfully as possibly. It came out more as a croak.

"Bugger off, North," Bunny growled as he nuzzled Jack's face and made the sprite giggle despite himself.

"Bunny, stop!" He yelped when the larger spirit was suddenly lifted off of him and held by the scruff by North. "Whao… North…North, relax. We were just…ah…North, don't kill him it was my idea!"

The Guardians of Wonder and Hope glared at each other as Nightlight scrambled to help Jack to his feet.

"Bunny, we had discussion about this, no?" North said, his voice dangerously low.

Bunny glared back. ""Yeah, and that doesn't change the fact that…" His voice grew low as he spoke only to North. "You know how I feel about him. I love him, Nick."

North's eyes widened but he quickly closed them and shook his head before letting the rabbit go. "Alright, as long as it is mutual and Jack is not harmed in _any_ way." He gave Bunny a pointed look. The Pooka could get a little out of hand when rutting. "If he is ever hurt it will be rabbit season world wide."

Bunny paled under his fur and all he could do was nod as Jack ran into his arms.

"And you, young man," North began, waving a finger at Jack. "You hurt Bunny and you'll be grounded for the exact same number of years you've been immortal, understood?"

"Yes, sir," Jack said quickly, surprising everyone by calling North "sir".

Bunny's brows furrowed. "Wait a sec, I get threatened with death and he gets grounded? What exactly is fair about that?"

North's glare matched Bunny's. "He is boy, you are grown Pooka. Big difference. He doesn't know better, you do."

"Hey!" Jack objected.

"By the way," North said as he was about to turn away. "There are no games of tag, racing or wrestling inside workshop. Next time I'll throw the lot of you outside and last I heard Pookas don't like the extreme cold as much as little sprites."

Nightlight gave a silent giggle and a knowing look at Jack before skipping after North. Pitch's face looked ashen by what he saw and he quickly faded into the shadows.

Jack shook his head in confusion. Okay, a whole bunch of new rules but he knew of one he would break as soon as he gathered the courage because he really wanted to wrestle with Bunny. Winner takes all.


	12. Chapter 12

Things Jack Should Do, Eat or Drink 12

Jamie noticed that Jack had a terrible habit of going off into his own world from time to time, as if hearing voices no one else could hear. Jamie first noticed this the winter after the battle with the Nightmare King when Jack first came to bring winter to Burgess. Jack had made a special visit, fearful that Jamie and his friends had forgotten him and after being reassured that they did indeed believe in him the spirit seemed to relax and pretty much became the big brother of the group. Years later Jack was still looked up to…or maybe down to? When Claude and Caleb hit thirteen they had a massive growth spur and now towered over Jack by a good head. Cupcake soon followed and while not nearly as tall she still stood above Jack. Pippa was only an inch shorter than the other girl and by the time Jamie was fourteen he and Monty were also taller than the winter spirit. Jack was not impressed but it had taken him a little longer to notice the changes than it did the other Guardians. North had jokingly remarked that the kids were getting to big to believe in them which had pulled Jack out of whatever daydream he had been having and rushed off to see for himself. Thankfully the kids still held their belief and Jack had relaxed into their usual routine of joking around and causing mischief but Jamie could never get over the fear that seemed to reflect in Jack's eyes whenever they did something a little more grownup.

"So," Caleb said as the boys gathered around outside their high school not far from the soccer field. He snapped his fingers when it looked as if Jack was losing focus again. Jack was utterly bored with the whole concept of school and couldn't understand why they were hanging out at the facility in the middle of spring when he could be off somewhere cooler where he could spread snow days and fun times. "Come on, Jack, you promised you'd help with this prank and we've waited all season for this."

"Huh, yeah, I know," Jack muttered glancing at the taller boy.

"Is there a spirit distracting you?" Jamie asked knowing that Jack could see and hear what they couldn't. "We could always wait a few days longer."

"No!" Claude whined. "We've worked so hard on this."

"Yeah but if Jack's not feeling well maybe we should wait," Monty interjected. He pushed his glasses further up his nose and gave Jack a shaky smile. "Besides, isn't rather dangerous? I mean this could put all of us on the Naughty List forever."

Caleb gave a snort. "Monty, you're fourteen, I'm pretty sure Santa's not going to bringing us gifts forever."

"Yeah, well I don't want to see Jack put back on the list. Remember last year? He had to work extra hard for North to even consider taking him off the list. He almost lost Christmas all together," Monty pointed out. He rubbed the back of his neck and gave a sheepish grin. "Anyway, Santa or not, North kind of scares me when he's mad."

Jamie nodded in agreement. "We don't have to do this."

Jack gave a shrug. "It's no biggy," he assured. "It's not as if North or the others will ever find out. I'll be in and out in a flash." Yet even as he said those words he still seemed distracted as he looked off toward the soccer field where the girl's team was just ending their practice. "So what was the dare again?"

Caleb and Claude flash each other grins. "Go in the girl's locker room and steal one of the girls' bras. Don't matter who's but the bigger the better," said Caleb.

"Oh, and you have to make it look as if the locker room is haunted. We want to hear them scream," Claude added.

Jack gave a nod. "Scare girls and steal bra. Sounds simple. Where's the challenge again?"

"Don't get caught by Cupcake or Pippa," Jamie answered. "Otherwise The Big Four is sure to hear about it and we're all screwed."

Jack gave a snort. "Easy peasy," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "Be back in five." With that he took the air and slipped through the gym doors behind the group of girls. He gave the boys a thumb up before disappearing.

"This is such a bad idea," Jamie murmured. Monty nodded in agreement while the twins just high fived. Jamie scowled at them. "You two are idiots. You know he'll never say no to a challenge."

"So? Did you want to do it?" Caleb challenged.

Rolling his eyes Jamie turned his attention back to the gym doors and waited for the chaos to begin. He didn't have long to wait.

. . .

Okay, so Jack had experience scaring people, he done it many times both by accident and on purpose. Pitch often teased that Jack would be perfect to bring along when he went about bringing fear for the simple fact that Jack could never keep his emotions in check and got distracted far too easily some days. Of course Jack had told the Boogeyman where to go but Pitch was right, Jack's emotions effects his powers and lately they seemed to be all over the place. Regardless he set to work. Ducking behind a roll of lockers he tried to stay out of Cupcake's and Pippa's sight. Out of the twenty some girls changing and showering they were the only two he worried about. If they saw him then the prank would fail and he would never allow that.

Using his staff he tipped over a laundry hamper and snagged two towels with the crook of his staff, then checking to make sure the two girls in question was nowhere in sight, he darted to the next roll of lockers.

Cold air whisked around the room causing girls to shiver and hug themselves. One turned around just in time to see the two towels floating in the air then whip away as if caught on the wind. She was only in her underwear and bra and for a moment seemed confused but when cold when blew past her and the floating towels whip past her at break neck speed before floating in front of yet more girls she let out a blood curdling scream. A haunting wooing sound responded and then more girls were screaming as towels went flying everywhere. Girls went running in every direction, some fully dressed others with just towels wrapped around them until all of them except three fled the change room.

Jack double up in giggles. "Now that was fun," he laughed as he straightened and twirled his staff. "And here I though the twins had lost their minds. I'll have to keep this in mind for a bigger school. Hell, maybe I can convince the whole school that it's haunted and give the kids all a day off. Too bad it's not winter, this would be even better. Now where's a bra. Nope, too small…uh…no…no….seriously why do girl even wear these things?"

"Because it helps hold breasts up," a soft timid voice said.

Jack blinked and looked to his left. That voice sounded far too familiar yet was none of the Burgess kids he knew. To his left stood a dark hair girl with doe brown eyes and a soft oval face. Jack had to stop and stare at her. She looked like an older version of his sister but that wasn't possible. The girl clung to a towel wrapped tightly around her and stared at him with bright wide eyes.

"Oh…uh…sorry. Wait, can you see me?" Jack asked. While he had more Believers and a fair amount of them were from Burgess, many of kids who were now teenagers had moved on, all except the original seven.

Nonetheless the girl nodded. "Yeah." She tugged at her brown locks, another thing that seemed oddly familiar. "So you're a ghost?"

"Uh…no, not exactly," he said feeling just as sheepish. He dropped the towels and stepped back. "Look I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. The guys dared me and…"

"Jackson Frost!" Cupcake suddenly snapped as he grabbed the back of his shirt and hauled him off his feet. She gave a sudden gasp when she saw the other girl. "Emma! Oh, hey, uh…"

"Jackson?" the dark hair girl questioned as she gazed at Jack appraisingly.

"Emma?" Jack asked, just as stunned.

"Yeah, so, I'm just practicing for a play," Cupcake said as she dropped Jack and tried to pretend she hadn't just grabbed an invisible spirit out of thin air. "You know that winter play Jamie Bennett did for drama? Yeah, well we were thinking about actually filming it and put it on YouTube or something and…"

"She can see me," Jack laughed from where he was sitting on the floor between the two. He got up and dusted off his pants. He smiled brightly at Emma. There was no way she could be his Emma. His Emma died a long, long time ago. Still, her appearance was uncanny and so very much like his sister that he couldn't help but wonder. He stuck out his hand. "Jack Frost," he said by way of introduction.

"Emma Sinclair," she said with a tiny smile as she held her towel in one hand and pumped his hand with the other.

Jack's face fell for the briefest of moments before he hid it under a mask of happiness. "Please to meet you. So you believe in me, huh?"

She blinked in confusion. "Believe in you? I…ah…" She glanced to Cupcake before moving close to whisper in Jack's ear. "I see spirits that's why I thought you were a ghost. People tend to think I'm crazy."

Jack shook his head. "You're not crazy just gifted. Besides, Cupcake can see me and so can many others so no worries."

Emma hesitated before nodding. "Okay. Pleased to meet you, Jack Frost."

"You too, Emma Sinclair," he said with another giggle before yelping when Cupcake grabbed his ear.

"Well good for the two of you," the older girl said as she began dragging Jack away. "We'll talk later, Emma. Jack, you are so lucky you're already dead because when I get my hands on those boys they'll be joining you." She ranted as she stormed toward the nearest wood surface and tapped on it twice calling for the one being she knew would put the teenage spirit in his place. A moment later a hole opened in the ground and rather than wait for the creator to pop his head out she dumped Jack inside.

"But I didn't get the bra!" Jack yelled back.

Grabbing the nearest one Cupcake threw it at him. "No boys in the girls' locker room!" she yelled after him. "Next time I'll kick your scrawny ass all the way back to the North Pole and hold you down while North kicks it and his feet are bigger than mine!"

"What happened?" Pippa asked as she stepped out of the shower.

Cupcake gave her a dark look. "We've got some boys to kill."

. . .

"Oh, oh," Jamie said when he saw Cupcake and Pippa walking toward them later that day. Jack hadn't returned and that could only be for one of two reasons; he got distracted again or the girls found him. Yep, it would seem the later in this case and the two girls looked hopping mad.

"Run!" Claude yelled before he and Caleb took off.

Jamie and Monty shared a look. "Run?" Monty asked.

Jamie gave a nod. "Run."

. . .

Bunny sat Jack down on top of one of the sentinel eggs and sat next to him. "What's with you and dares?" the Pooka asked more amused than angry by what had transpired in the girls' locker room.

Jack gave a shrug. "They seem like fun," Jack answered with a shrug. "Anyway, it wasn't as if anyone was hurt."

"Not the point. You really scared those girls and upset Cupcake."

"I know."

"So no more dare, okay?"

Jack shrugged again.

Bunny sighed. "I don't want to make it a rule."

There was a soft chuckle. "Oh, as if he would ever follow that rule," Pitch said, forming before the stone egg. He gave a smirk as the egg rotated into battle mode and dislodged the two Guardians sitting up top. Bunny leapt off while Jack tumbled backward and caught himself on a breeze at the last possible second. Pitch was completely unfazed. "If there's one thing Jack can never ignore it's a challenge, especially when it comes to that group of kids. He loves them more than life itself…maybe more than you."

Jack blushed, frost decorating his cheeks. Pitch knew him just a little too well. "Yeah well…it was sort of fun until Cupcake caught me. Hey, do either of you know anything about a girl named Emma Sinclair?"

They both gave him confused looks.

Bunny shook his head and waved his hands. "Regardless, these sort of dares are unacceptable for a Guardian. You can't go around scaring girls and stealing bras for whatever reason the boys gave you, alright?"

"Unless you really want to give them a fright and then I'll teach you everything you need to know," Pitch offered.

"No!" Bunny objected but Pitch had already wrapped an arm around Jack's shoulders and giving him pointers.

"They don't need to fear you but teenagers seem to love scaring each other. It's – how shall we say it? – fun. I'm sure we can come up with a perfect prank to get the boys back with a little help from the girls," Pitch continued.

Bunny face palmed and glared up at the Moon high above. "And that's who you want to be a Guardian? You must be out of your mind. New rule, Jack you cannot hang out with Pitch no matter what MiM or North says!"

Neither male spared him even a glance. His eyes narrowed as he pulled out the big guns. "No sex for a year if you don't get your pasty white ass back here!" And while the threat may not deter Jack from spending time with Pitch it did help keep him from causing too much mischief but of course the Burgess teens had ways of getting Jack into trouble whether they meant to or not.


	13. Chapter 13

Things Jack Should Do, Eat or Drink 13

**Okay, since this is a mash up of scenes that took place throughout other stories I won't be working on relationship building or explaining the how and why Jack and Bunny are together or how Pitch joined the Guardians other than by reference so please ready Finding Understanding and the fics in that series to learn more. This is supposed to be funny even if it gets serious from time to time.**

Despite his hatred of school Jack loved to learn new things it was all in the way someone approached him with it and if anyone was able to teach Jack something new and exciting it was North. For centuries before even becoming a Guardian Jack had heard the rumors that North was not only a seasoned warrior and swordsman but also a wizard but he had reframed from asking about spells for his first few years of living with the man, half expecting the Russian to take him under his wing and teach him as he had so many other things but after nearly a decade he and a few witnessed botched up spells, Jack decided to ask the big question.

"So how do you cast spells?" he asked out of the blue while he was sitting on the edge of North's desk as the man sketched out a new toy design.

The question took the elder Guardian by such surprise that his pencil tore into the parchment and nearly destroyed the design. Bright sapphire eyes blinked up in surprise as he looked at Jack. "What?" he asked not sure he had heard Jack correctly.

"Spells," Jack reintegrated. "How do you cast them? I mean Sandy, Pitch and I are made of magic but you and Bunny can cast spells and Tooth...well I'm not sure how it works for her. I guess she must be made of magic too."

North rubbed the bridge of his nose and sat back. He looked rather tired as he crumbled up the design he was working on and threw it in the trash bin with the growing pile. "Jack, off desk."

With a sigh the youth jumped off the desk and stood on the other side. "So I thought maybe you can teach me a little magic."

North's blue gaze studied him. "What has brought this own?"

The boy shrugged and looked away. "Nothing." The older male gave him a pointed look and waited patiently for Jack to continue. It didn't take much to get Jack to fess up when he was really interested in something. "Well I tried asking Bunny but since his magic is spring base and mine winter it just didn't mesh well so he said to talk to you and well I didn't want to be a pest so I thought I'd wait but now it's been nearly five years and I thought I ought to ask now because…well there was this girl who looks a lot like my sister and she sees ghosts and I thought I could impress her by showing that I'm not just a ghost or winter spirit but also an accomplished magician but Bunny won't stop laughing at me so I have to shut him up. You know how he is."

North gave a long surprised blink. It was rare for Jack to speak so quickly but it was obvious that the youth had been saving this up for a very long time. He sat back in his seat and stroked his beard in thought. "Magic is not something you use to impress girls. I can be very dangerous. Is she not impressed by you snow days and fun times?"

Jack rubbed his toes into the carpet. "Well yeah but I'm sure she's…well the reincarnation of my sister or something and I want to prove to her that I'm her brother but I don't know how so I thought maybe I could recreate her favorite day from our childhood."

"Jack, even if she were the reincarnation of your sister you should not tamper with such things. And what if she isn't? What if she merely looks like your Emma? This may cause more damage than good," North tried to explain. He got up from his desk and walked around it. Leaning against the edge he placed his large hands on Jack's slim shoulders. "And what will happen in a few years when she no longer Believes or passes on? It will hurt you far more than her."

"But…I'm sure it's her," Jack insisted. He brought out the heavy guns and gave North his most pitiful kicked puppy eyes. "Please, just a little spell."

For the first time ever North shook his head and denied him. "I'm sorry, Jack but it is too dangerous. Sometimes spells are more dangerous than good. Now shouldn't you be off causing chaos in the Warren? I'm sure Bunny is missing you by now."

With a sigh Jack turned away but he did not give up hope. If there was one thing being a Guardian taught him it was patience. He waited until late at night when North went to bed before sneaking into his foster father's office/personal workshop. Once there he carefully accessed the door that led to a lower chamber where North did most of his magic, safely tucked away from curious elves – with the exception of Jack who had found his way down a few times but never found the courage until now to try a spell. He didn't want to do anything complicated just a small memory spell. This would be so much easier if Tooth would have just provided Emma Sinclair with his Emma's memories but no, Tooth said such things weren't allowed and that if the girl really was the reincarnation of his sister she would have to first find the memories on her own before Tooth could help. As far as Jack was concerned it was metaphysical bullshit. He knew his Emma when he saw her and the Sinclair girl was definitely her.

He gave a startled gasp when his pant leg as suddenly tugged and a small grumpy elf looked up at him. The little man, about a third Sandy's size at best, glared up at Jack before pointing toward the door leading back up to North's office. The message was clear; Jack wasn't supposed to be here.

Jack shook his head. "Sorry, little guy but I'm not leaving until I can perform at least one spell."

The elf folded his tiny arms and tapped his foot obviously annoyed.

"You know elves are supposed to be jolly," Jack pointed out as he took a spell book off one of the shelves and began flipping through it. "Besides, I'm not doing anything wrong, just research."

The tapping grew a little louder, the tiny man not impressed one bit by Jack's antics.

"Okay, okay…one spell and then I'm out of here. Oh, this looks easy! See, it's a memory spell, nothing dangerous. It'll just call up a 'wondrous memory' from a past life. Easy peasy." He placed the large tomb on the table and read through it as the elf clambered up onto the table to read along with him. Jack's gaze met the elf's. "So you're going to help?"

The elf rolled his eyes but gave a nod, not happy that the youth was messing with one of North's spell books but knowing there was no way of appeasing the boy until he at least tried one.

"Okay," Jack said, happy to have a helper. "Now this looks very simple, I just need a few ingredients. I wish my Russian was so rusty." He went about gathering ingredients as the elf read over the spell. He didn't notice when the elf turned the page to read the rest of it, he just placed everything on the table and glanced at what else he needed, never noticing the change. Then Jack was mixing everything together in a large pot.

The elf looked up in surprise, not expecting the boy to already be mixing things together. He glanced at the book, flipping between the two spells Jack was inadvertently mixing together then at the boy and back again. His eyes widened and he began waving his arms to try and get Jack's attention but the boy was too focused on the task at hand to pay attention to him.

Jack paused, rather proud of himself. This wasn't hard at all, what had North been fussing about?

Another elf appeared at the doorway and stared in with curiosity. The first elf waved his arms at him and began chattering excitedly. The second elf made a hasty retreat just as the mixture began bubbling.

Jack took a step back in surprise. "Is it supposed to do that?" he asked the elf but the little man had slammed the book shut and was trying to get off the table with it. Jack reached for him but just as he was about to grab the elf the mixture blew up. Instinct was all that saved Jack. He threw up an ice shield as he was thrown back into the book shelf. A number of heavy books landed on him but other than a whack to the head there was no serious damage. The elf wasn't so lucky.

Rubbing the back of his head Jack sat up and looked about. There was purple goo everywhere and sitting on the table covered head to toe in it was a very, very large elf that stood nearly ten feet tall. Jack gaped at him. Yeah, he really screwed up the spell. He ran a hand through his hair happy none of the goo had hit him. "Sorry," he told the elf as he stood. "I guess that wasn't how it was supposed to work."

The elf just glared at him and folded his arms across his chest once more but the reprimanding he wanted to give the eternal youth as short lived as the table collapsed under his weight and he fell to the floor with a thud.

Jack covered his mouth and fought to hold back a giggle. "Sorry…sorry, I'll fix this. I'm sure there's a spell that'll bring mops alive and help me clean."

The elf's eyes grew wide and he looked as if he might strangle Jack for even suggesting such a thing which made Jack giggle all the more, then he gave the boy an unholy grin.

"Jackson Overland Frost!" North bellowed from the doorway in only a robe and pajama bottoms.

Jack jumped at the sound of his name and instantly backed away as he looked for a revenue of escape, but there was only one way in and out of the archives and North was blocking it and the usually jolly man looked anything but jolly. "Oh, eh…hi, North."

The Russian glared at Jack with more anger than even the whole pink Santa suit incident. Oh yeah, Jack was in trouble and suffer through the longer lecture North had ever given him and the man could be very long winded when he wanted to be. Jack spent the next week scrubbing the lab and fixing everything while North searched for a spell to return the poor elf back to his regular size but while the elf was he watched over Jack like a hawk and was not afraid to give him a good kick in the rear when he began slacking off or complaining. From then on the elves were even more weary of the ice spirit but to Jack's delight he learned he wasn't the first to screw up a spell in such a way. Rumor had it that North himself had accidently turned a kitten into a giant and while the man thoroughly denied it ever happening Nightlight confirmed it to be true. Eventually North taught Jack a few spells but Jack was never allowed to try anything alone. After the elf incident Jack agreed wholeheartedly to any rules regarding magical spells mainly because North was not afraid to reinforce the rules and actually ground him. Being confined to Santoff Claussen for nearly a month was enough to drive him stir crazy and if it weren't for Bunny he might have lost his mind completely. It turned out that when dealing with Jack Frost misbehaving it was best to treat him like any other unruly child regardless of how old he truly was and groundings worked just fine.


	14. Chapter 14

**Okay, I'll be wrapping this up soon, I'm sort of running out of ideas and with everything that's been happening lately I might need a break from writing for a bit. Not that I want to but I'm feeling a little drained so we'll see. This chap covers two rules and is a little heart breaking. Hope you all enjoy, sorry for the tears in advance.**

Things Jack Should Do, Eat or Drink 14

Unfortunately North was right. Jack learned the hard way that no matter what he did or how much he tried he could not always protect those he loved and couldn't change fate.

Rather Emma was really the reincarnation of his sister or not he became rather attached to her and she became a fixture within his group of Burgess friends. After she discovered that Cupcake and the others could see Jack just as she could see spirits she had befriended the older girl and then the others and after only a year with them began dating Monty much to everyone's surprise. They became an item and very happy together. Together with the other teens they got Jack into just as much trouble as the teens. When they all were between 18 and 19 they invited Jack to a strip poker game. Everyone still looked up to Jack even though he was now physically the youngest of the group and found nothing wrong with inviting him to the game. Nor did they take into consideration that Jack now had a mate, it was simply something none of them understood and neither did Jack in all honesty. So they gathered at Pippa's family cottage up in the mountains that March break.

Jack was ecstatic. Every Christmas and March break Pippa was gone and he didn't get to see her. They weren't as close as Jack was with Jamie or Sophie or even Emma but he still adored the young woman and was more than happy to be welcomed to her winter cottage. There were no parents just the teens, a few cases of beer and coolers, and lots of food. It was to be a weekend to remember, their last big get together before graduation. It was great. While Jack refused to drink more than two beers he did participate in the dancing and partying, the horror film marathon – which led to many nightmares, a happy Pitch and scolding Sandy – more drinking and loud music and not one but two games of strip poker. The first time Jack had got lucky and won, only losing his sweater and t-shirt but the second game he wasn't so lucky and was left sitting in his underwear alongside Emma, Caleb, Jamie and even Cupcake who was scowling at her cards and insisting the game was ridged.

Jack sat with his legs folded Indian style, not bothered one bit was being nearly naked. He played this game often enough with Bunny – the Pooka would often throw on a few layers only to make the game fair – which really made no sense since Bunny was almost always naked with nothing to see unless he was aroused, which usually happened by the time Jack was down to his last bit of clothing.

He frowned when Emma lost the next round and had to choose between her panties and her bra. While she was now taller than him and physically much older he still felt protective of her. "Come on, guys, let her be," he said, giving the boys a pointed look.

Jamie had won this hand and seemed a little confused by Jack's sudden protectiveness of the girl. Yes, he knew Jack thought of Emma as a little sister but she was a grown woman who had agreed to this game as much as the others and knew the rules. "Jack," he started only to have the other boy pull other his last stich of clothing and throw it in the pile.

"There, now she doesn't have to," Jack said, sitting naked before everyone.

Emma gave a small laugh and held Jack's hand. "It's okay, Jack. I'm fine." She took off her bra and smirked at the boys. "Shall we continue?"

Jack stared at her for a moment before turning away with a blush. Boys were not supposed to see their sisters nude.

"Okay," Claude said as he collected the cards and began shuffling. "So Jack's now out, who's left?"

"Would you stop staring at my girlfriend?" Monty said to Caleb, a frown on his lips.

Jack jerked and stared at the dark skinned boy. "That's my sister!"

Everyone stared at Jack and then laughed as he flushed. It wasn't the first time he made that declaration and as always Jack would look away and pretend he said nothing. Claude just shook his head and began dealing the cards as Jack grabbed another beer and tried to act normal.

There was a tapping at the door and a moment later it burst open as if caught in the wind and Bunny hopped in, shutting it behind him as he complained about the cold. When he turned around he stopped where he stood, as if frozen in ice as he stared at the half naked teens. His gaze fell upon Jack and almost instantly he was at his mate's side and grabbing Jack's clothes.

"Oh hell no," he cursed. "This is not happening. Get your pasty ass dressed now. The same with the rest of you, and go to bed. Bloody underage drinking. You lot ought to know better." He kept grumbling under his breath as he practically dragged Jack out of the cottage, everything he had planned on saying earlier forgotten in his sudden anger.

"Bunny!" Jack yelled as he was dragged outside. "What the hell? We're just having one last blast before they go off to college and university. What's wrong with that?"

That led into a long lecture about decency in front of Believers and gambling and so forth which had Jack wishing it was North who caught him instead and had grounded him. Sure groundings were boring and he hated spending time in his room but this was the longest lecture Bunny had ever given him and it was becoming painful to here, at least until the Pooka proclaimed Jack was only allowed to play strip poker with him and then playfully pushed him in the snow where they spent the next hour making love despite Bunny's hatred of the cold.

Neither of them noticed the car that left the cabin. They were completely consumed by their passion and while Bunny would never admit to enjoying the sight of Jack naked amongst other half naked teens concentrating hard on a card game the idea that any of them might have tried to make a move on his Jack was enough to make the Pooka both obsessive and horny over his mate. He would never allow another to have his Snowflake and he would make sure Jack understood that. Their love making was extremely passionate. They fought to dominate each other and their powers swirled and collided, mixing warm with cold air. A blizzard formed, caused by Jack's intense emotions but this time it wasn't sadness or anger but the love he felt for his Bunny and the passion the larger spirit stirred within him. When they came their magic clashed and an avalanche of snow tumbled down the hill and took out the road.

Neither Guardian thought anything of it at first as they prepared to return to the Warren to continue their activities, not until Jack spotted the red sedan half buried in the snow. Not until he was laying on his belly peering through the driver side window to see Monty strapped to his see but not breathing and next to him Emma, her pretty face cut up by the shattered glass of the windshield. Both were dead. Both had died because he couldn't control his magic yet again but this time it was worse. Because of him his sister had died.

He didn't stay to help Bunny dig them out. He didn't stay to explain to the others what happened. Jack fled. He took to the wind and fled as fast and as far away as he could, his emotions causing storms wherever he went. Fear ate at him and for the first time in a long time he didn't want his fellow comforting him and for that he needed to go somewhere where they wouldn't think to look for him so he went to South America where the heat was sure to zap his powers. Unfortunately now that he had Believers he was more powerful than ever and his erratic emotions brought about a blizzard in the heart of Mexico. That angered many spirits of the land where they were beginning their Spring Equinox festivities. He never meant to anger them, never meant to cause such chaos but he could not control his anguish even as he hid from the spirits and Guardians. His fear grew as he powers did and all he could do was sob uncontrollably as he curled into himself. That fear was a blessing in disguise.

"Oh Jack," Pitch said gently as he wrapped his arms around the youth hiding in an ancient Aztec temple. It was probably the worst place for the boy to hide, the ancient spirits were tied to it, but Jack either didn't understand or care if he was found by the angry beings. "I'm so sorry."

Jack shook his head and turned to bury his face against the shade's chest. "It's my fault. It's all my fault."

Pitch didn't argue the fact. The deaths of Monty and Emma were not the first caused by Jack's emotions sending his powers out of whack and they may not be the last but being an eternal youth and elemental was not an easy thing. Perhaps one day he would outgrow it but that would not be for many, many centuries to come so Pitch merely held the boy as he cried his heart out, his emotions lashing out at the weather outside where the warm spirits were most likely looking for him. The boy cried and cried until there were no more tears and then he lay in Pitch's arms, his body shaking from exhaustion.

"I killed them. I killed Monty and Emma," he whispered.

"I know."

"I didn't mean to."

Pitch carded his fingers through Jack's hair. "I know."

"The others must hate me."

The former Nightmare King sighed and pressed his cheek to Jack's head. "It was an accident, Jack. They could never hate you but they do fear you."

Jack's eyes squeezed shut and he gave a shuddered breath. "I never wanted that."

Pitch only nodded. If there was one thing Jack had made clear to him years earlier it was that he didn't want anyone to fear him, he just wanted them to Believe in him, to love him. Now he just lost two of his Believers and the others were as good as gone after the deaths of their friends. They sat together for a long time until finally Pitch knocked on the stone ground twice and called to the spirit Jack needed most at that moment.

A few seconds ticked by and then a hole opened in the ground and two grey ears poked out, then a furry face and a moment later Bunnymund hopped out and knelt next to Jack and Pitch. The Pooka no longer worried about Pitch with Jack, the shade was now one of them no matter how reluctantly and he was as obsessive of protecting Jack as North and Bunny were maybe more so.

The Easter spirit said nothing at first, he didn't need to as he made eye contact with Jack and then the boy was throwing himself in Bunny's arms with renewed tears and loud sobs as the once warm weather outside screamed with the growing blizzard. Bunny held his young love and ignored the cold. Mother Nature was already on her way to reign in Jack's powers and help ease his troubled heart but until she arrived it was up to Bunny and Pitch to care for the eternal youth.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Jack repeated in a mantra, his words muddled in his sobs.

"Let's go home, love," Bunny whispered in his hair. "You can freeze the Warren if you like. It's all good. I've got all the googies ready and safely stored away for Easter. They know the routes and can deliver themselves this year as long as there's no interference." He gave Pitch a pointed look that made the Guardian of Courage roll his eyes. "So we can just go home and relax, okay?"

Jack shook his head and buried his fingers in Bunny scuff. "Do you hate me?" he whispered, fearful of the answer.

Bunny rested his chin on Jack's head, rubbing gently to mark his scent all over the boy's hair and cheeks. "I can never hate you, Jackie, I love you too much."

"But…"

"It wasn't just your power that lashed out, it was mine too. I'm just as much to blame," Bunny insisted as he held Jack tightly. "It's my fault as well."

Jack kept shaking his head not willing to let Bunny take any of the blame. He was the herald of winter, he was the one how was supposed to keep the snow safe and he was the one to promise to always protect his little sister, not Bunny. It was his fault Emma was gone…and Monty – Monty with his oversize glasses and nervous smile. The image brought about a fresh bout of tears and made Pitch groan in annoyance. If there was one thing the shade couldn't stand was unnecessary tears.

"Enough, Jackson. You can't change what happened and tears won't help anyone," he reprimanded. He stood and dusted off his robes. "Now get up and stop this nonsense before you bury South America in twenty feet of snow. You already have enough summer spirits angry with you without adding a bunch of spring ones."

Bunny glared at the tall man but Jack gave a sniffle and nodded as he pulled out of the Pooka's arms.

"Give us the frost child," a voice demanded from the darkness.

Jack froze in sudden fear as a group of angry spirits appeared at the entrance of the temple.

"Oh look, here they are," Pitch grumbled as his scythe formed in one hand. He stepped before Jack and glanced over his shoulder at the youth. "Next time you decide to take a tantrum, do us all a favor and visit the Antarctic. I'm sure the penguins won't mind the extra snow as much."

Bunny tucked Jack behind him as he pulled out his boomerangs. "You ain't taking him anywhere, you miscreants."

The spring spirits had their own weapons at the ready. "This isn't your territory, rabbit. Hand the brat to us or suffer the same fate."

Jack placed a hand on Bunny's arm. "It's okay, Bunny. I messed up their weather. I thought the heat would drain me but I was wrong. They're in their right to punish me."

The Pooka didn't even look at him. "Just this once, kid, shut your yap," he growled. "Koz?"

They were in a confined space and clearly at a disadvantage so without even a second thought Pitch wrapped the three of them in shades and transported them out into the open where they could fight with ease. It would have been a good plan if there weren't already a dozen or so spirits already out there waiting for them. The moment they reappeared outside they were attacked on all sides as if the spirits had coordinated their plan of attack. It took all the three Guardians skill and warrior nature to fend them off and even Jack got over his guilt long enough to defend himself but he and Bunny were caught off guard when a blast of magic knocked them into the ocean.

"Jack!" Pitch yelled before finally calling upon his Nightmares and Fearlings to battle the spring spirits.

Debris from nearby trees and ice slammed into Jack and Bunny before they went under the water. In the heat of battle Jack had managed to overcome his sorrow and think but hitting the warm ocean water had nearly brought back his earlier panic. Had he been alone he might have panicked once more when he hit the water but he remembered everything Bunny and North had taught him when he finally learned to swim and rather than panicking under the water he quickly kicked his way to the surface. He expected to see Bunny already bobbing there but was surprised when all he met was open water and a distant battle. Overhead he saw spirit fleeing from Nightmares and then a vortex opening and a familiar red sleigh but no matter where he looked Bunny was nowhere in sight.

Scared more now than when he tried hiding from his family and friends, Jack looked back down at the water he was floating in. If Bunny was not above water then he had to be below it. Jack trembled at that thought. Oh Moon no, please no. He couldn't do this; he couldn't swim underwater, not without someone swimming next to him to help him should he falter. But he had no choice, the others were battling the rogue spirits. There was no one to save Bunny but him. So taking a deep breath – not that he needed to breath – he fought back his fear of drowning and dove under the water. He kicked hard and swam deeper and deeper into the water until he could see Bunny below him, unconscious and sinking into dark depths. Jack kicked harder, desperate now to reach his love. He reached out and snagged the Pooka's bandolier and stopped his descent. Reversing his position, Jack pulled Bunny to him, wrapped an arm around the larger being's middle and kicked his way back to the surface. His head broke through the water and despite his lack of need for air he began gasping for breath, an ancient human instinct that would never leave him. He hauled Bunny up next to him and kept his head above water as well. He did it, he saved Bunny. He swam under water by himself and saved his Bunny. Shock hit Jack but he fought it in order to keep himself and Bunny above water. Looking about Jack debated whether or not to attempt swimming back to shore. Surely the spirits would try killing them again if they even got close but the current was sweeping them away and if Jack didn't do something quick they would be lost in the ocean and the other Guardians may never find them.

A gasp tore from him as a golden ship suddenly descended into the water not far from them. An equally golden sand ring formed around Jack and Bunny and before Jack could pounder what was happening they were dragged out of the water and deposited on the deck where the ring disappeared and free them. Bunny slumped in Jack's arms.

"Jack!" North bellowed, rushing across the deck to attend to his fellow Guardians. He pulled off his heavy coat and wrapped it around Bunny's limp form then eased the Pooka onto his back and checked him over before giving Jack a bright smile. "He'll be fine. Just little knock to head," he assured before checking Jack over and wrapping him in a large fluffy towel.

Jack stared at his foster father in confusion then noticed the sleigh and reindeer at one end of the ship, Sandy at the helm as Tooth fluttered about anxiously, her swords in hand and at the ready.

"It's alright, Jack, they're gone now," North was saying as he held the boy's shoulders in his large hands. "Everything's alright now. We're going home and we'll deal with everything that happened, dah? We'll make everything good again."

Jack only nodded numbly, his mind now tired as the day's events played over in his mind. He barely heard a word North said and eventually the old Cossack let him be to care for Bunny. He took Jack's silence as the boy being in shock but Jack was beyond that. He was confused and sore and tired and he no longer seemed to know up from down.

He started slightly when Pitch knelt beside him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You did good, Jack," he said gently and smiled at the confused look on the boy's face. "You conquered your fear. You saved Aster by making yourself go under the water."

Sandy, North and Tooth all nodded in agreement. But despite their encouragement and love Jack couldn't help the guilt that still filled him. He made a rule for himself that he had to control his emotions and never let them get the best of him no matter the situation. He would not allow anyone else to die because of him. Sadly winter was a dangerous season and try as he might he could not always control his powers when he was emotional. There would always be deaths and accidents associated with his season, some would be because of him others by other winter spirits and many due to man but Jack would always try to protect those around him. Even when his first Believers stopped believing in him he did everything in his power to protect them. And when his emotions did get the best of him he did as Pitch suggested and retreated to Antarctica. Sex was another issue but Jack and Bunny worked out a way to control the mix of their powers, sometimes with disastrous results but nothing ever compared to the night Monty and Emma died, nor would Jack ever forget or forgive himself for their deaths. Yes, everyone else forgave him and Bunny shouldered half the blame but it was Jack who would always feel the most guilt and never allow himself to move past it, not for many, many years.


	15. Chapter 15

Things Jack Shouldn't Do, Eat or Drink 15

**Vatimiss and Oluhasuu suggested this one, thanks Vatimiss and Oluhasuu.**

After Emma and Monty's death Jack was inconsolable. Yes, he had saved Bunny's life but even so it was as if a small part of Jack had died with the two teens, something that would take a long time to heal. He had some of the most frightening nightmares he ever had and regardless if he was home at Santoff Claussen or sleeping in the Warren he would often wake up in the dead of night screaming and crying for the two teenagers, especially Emma. In fact a good share of the time Monty wasn't even featured in the nightmare but instead only the girl and not always the young woman he had come to think of as his sister but the young girl he had left behind so long ago when he died. In his mind they were one and the same and he could no longer tell which was which. Sometimes he was in Monty's place, driving the car as the avalanche hits it. They were so real that when he awoke he was unsure where he was or even who he was until Bunny or North or Sandy or Pitch or Tooth held him and assured him everything was okay.

At first the Guardians blamed Pitch for these nightmares, after all he was the Nightmare King and even if he didn't hold that rank as he once did Pitch still had the ability to produce such awful dreams but it turned out they came from Jack's own guilt riddled mind and Pitch had no control of them. Jack's fear was far too strong and only the boy could stop these horribly dreams. Of course as the Guardian of Courage Pitch made it his duty to see Jack through these awful times but it would still take far longer than even he anticipated and help from another perhaps stronger source.

"It's been two years, Jack, you have let them go at some point," Jamie said, watching the youngest Guardian with worry from his desk. It was March Break, exactly two years since the deaths of Monty and Emma. Earlier that day he had gotten together with the rest of the Burgess teens to remember their friends but Jack had not attended, not that it would have mattered much, the others had choice to forget Jack and grow up after the accident. It wasn't to punish Jack, Jamie assured the mournful spirit, but to help them move past what happened. No one wanted to blame the eternal youth so decided to blame it on natural causes therefore forgetting Jack's ability to control the elements and therefore him as well. It was sort of strange the way it happened. One moment they all saw the winter spirit break down the next he faded from sight, everyone's but Jamie's and Sophie's who were shocked when the others turned away from Jack as if he was no longer there. Jack had only watched them with sorrowful eyes before nodding to himself and fleeing to his lake where Jamie had caught up with him and almost crushed him in a hug. "It's not your fault, Jack. Monty shouldn't have been driving. He and Emma were drunk. It was an accident, you can't keep blaming yourself," he urged but the spirit had pushed him away.

"You shouldn't believe in me either," the winter sprite insisted. "I'm nothing but trouble. I make a mess wherever I go."

"That's not true," Jamie argued but Jack pushed him away.

"Go home, Jamie and forget about me. I'm not coming back."

That was two years ago and for the most part Jack hadn't returned except to bring winter but even then it wasn't as it used to be. It was far warmer outside, the snow came later, usually in time for Christmas and then gone within weeks. The other Guardians couldn't answer why but they were just as worried about their youngest. Now after two years Jack was back but there was next to no snow outside despite his foul mood. No, for the first time the weather outside was not answering to Jack's emotional state as he sat in the window of a room that by all rights should have been empty.

The frost child jumped at Jamie's voice and almost fell out of the window before turning to stare at the young man sitting at the desk. He had forgotten it was March Break and that Jamie would be home from college. It was just natural for him to visit the boy's home regardless if he was there. "Jamie!" he gasped before almost falling a second time at the realization that the man could still see him.

Jamie gave a small smile before standing from the desk and putting aside the report he was working on. "Hey, kiddo," he said with a grin.

"That's my line," Jack said before frowning. "I should go. Sorry for disturbing you."

Jamie caught the boy's arm and before Jack could pull away gave him a hug. Jack still for several long minutes before relaxing and hugging Jamie back and then broke down completely. Jamie held the boy tightly, marveling over just how small Jack now was, just a wisp of a boy. He didn't bother trying to tell Jack to let go of the past again, there was no point because Jack never would. The Frost child was too sensitive and held everything to hear so he gave Jack a playful nudge instead. "Want to go sledding?" he asked with the same mischievousness Jack once held.

Jack looked up at him in confusion and shook his head.

"Come on, Jackie, extreme sledding, like old times? You remember, through the streets of Burgess when I lost my tooth?"

There was a small twinkle in Jack's blue eyes before he sobered and shook his head. "That's too dangerous, Jamie."

"Maybe when I was eight but I'm twenty now, I think I can handle it."

And that was how Jamie got Jack to play again. A heavy snow blanketed Burgess for the first time in two years. Kids came out to play as Jamie pulled out his old sled from the garage. Together with Jack they went to a nearby hill and began what they dubbed Burgess's extreme sled and luge. It took a while but Jack finally smiled and then laughed and soon he was almost back to his usual self as he flew next to Jamie as the young man sled at top speed through town. People yelled, vehicles honked their horns and kids laughed and pointed not just as Jamie sped by but at the spirit orchestrating the whole thing and soon several of the original Believers once more believed. And just as fate had it twelve years earlier Jamie hit a snow bank and went flying throw the air but this time he slammed into the town statue. Jack cringed at he watched his friend hit the statue.

Jamie gave a cry of pain when he felt a snap but quickly muffled it and gave a pain filled laugh. "Ow…Jack, that was great!" It was only later after Caleb came running up to the statue did Jamie admit to breaking his leg this run and the other man had to rush him to the hospital but he made Jack come with them. "It's okay, Jack, people break things all the time. No biggy."

Jack sat forlornly in the back seat, his hand wringing around his staff as Caleb drove them to the hospital. "yes, biggy. I should have been more careful."

"Can I give a suggestion?" Caleb said, surprising Jack when the man glanced at him through the rearview mirror. "No extreme sledding…at least not in town. Save that shit for the snow hills."

Jack blinked while Jamie grinned. "Maybe you're right. How about we hit Pippa's cabin next year and do some extreme sledding there."

"Nah, I'll stick to snowboarding. As long as there some good snow I'm in. Hopefully next winter is better than these last two." He gave Jack a grin and it only grew at the shocked expression on Jack's face.

"You can see me?" Jack whispered as tears shimmered in his lashes.

Caleb gave a nod, his smile genuine and full of the child like adoration he had for the winter sprite all those years ago. And while not all of the original Believers returned Jack was happy with those who did. They made it a yearly event to travel to the mountains for March Break to celebrate one last snow fall before spring and remember those they had lost. And while extreme sledding quickly became outlawed after Jamie broke his leg for a second time – "Seriously, Jack, you should have just let me kill him when he was eight instead of putting him through all this," Pitch reprimanded after having to transport Jamie through the shadows to the nearest hospital. – it didn't stop them from having fun together. But there were times when Jack would stop everything and simply stare at the spot where Monty and Emma died and go off into his own little world like he did years before where his head would tilt to one side as if he were listening to something. The wind perhaps or maybe something more and then he would take off without a word and not return for hours, days or even weeks. Jamie would worry for him during this time but there was nothing he could do but wait and hope that one day Jack would tell him what was going on.

. . .

"Jack," a voice whispered through the wind as it whirled around him, giving him a small hug and gently tugging him away from the group of young adults.

Jack's head tilted to one side as he listened.

"Come to me, Jack," the voice insisted.

The ice elf nodded to himself before leaping into the wind and flying off without a word to Jamie or the others. He never questioned the voice when it called to him he usually just went. It wasn't often he was called away like this, in fact he could count the number of times on one hand and still have figures left over. So he flew over the mountains until he found a lady in green standing on the edge of a forest. Jack brightened when he saw her and landed gracefully a few meters from her.

"Mother Nature," he breathed, happy to see the mother of all elementals.

The raven haired woman smiled kindly at Jack before opening her arms in invitation. It was rare for her to do such a thing but Jack took the invitation and hurried into her arms. Sometimes it was hard to believe this woman was the daughter of Pitch Black. She was so kind and sweet but could be more frightening than the Nightmare King could ever be. Nonetheless she and Tooth were the closest things he had to a mother and he always felt safest in their arms.

"Jack, you look much happier," Seraphina said in a gentle silky voice that was a feminine version of her father's. "I take it your friends forgave you?"

Jack pressed his head against her chest and tried to avoid the conversation. He didn't want to talk about Emma and Monty.

"We are spirits of the elements," the mother of all elementals began. "While they are ours to control it doesn't not mean that we are always in control. The elements are wild, as wild as our hearts. You are not the first to lose someone you love simply by losing yourself."

"I don't understand," Jack whispered.

Seraphina sighed, a sound much like her father's when he got annoyed by Jack's questions. "Jack, I control all natural elements of this world. The Earth, Air, Water and Fire. They are mine. I control the way plants grow, the flow of water, the wind and storms. Every year people die. Not because I want them to but simply because that is the way of life. When a volcano erupts I cannot control where the lava goes or if it destroys a village. When a storm happens over the ocean I can stop it from overturning a boat. I can try to save the people on board but if it is their time to go it is their time."

"Are you saying Monty and Emma were destined to die that day?" Jack asked, aghast at the thought.

"Perhaps…perhaps not. We do not control the fate of the human race. If that were the point should I have saved you from falling into you lake and drowning? Should I have saved you from your fate?" she asked as she carded her long fingers through his hair. "Would you ask me to go back in time and change that day? Was it my fault that ice was too thin to skate on?"

"Well no," Jack said, thinking back to the day he died.

"Should I have stopped you from saving your sister?"

"No!"

"Would you still have given your life for hers if you knew you would die?"

"Of course."

"Now think," she said just as gently but now crouched to his height. "Did Monty and Emma drink the night they died?"

"Yeah."

"Were they in any condition to drive?"

Jack shook his head. "No."

She gave a nod as if he had just confirmed something she had expected. "Then regardless of the avalanche they would have died that night. They should have slept at the cabin and waited until morning. Had Monty been sober he may have noticed the avalanche and been able to avoid it, perhaps not. Just because yours and Bunny's powers mingled the way they did doesn't make any difference, an avalanche could have happened at any time in the mountains, especially in March when the weather is warming. People die all the time in the mountains because of them. Besides, you're not the only winter spirit out there."

Jack ran a hand through his hair. "I guess."

She kissed his brow. "Now, can you do me a big favor?"

He nodded but was rather confused about what he could possibly do for Mother Nature. He inhaled sharply when she stepped aside to reveal Bunny standing further in the forest looking rather dejected and lonely. The last two years had been hard on their relationship. Jack blamed himself for Monty's and Emma's deaths and refused to share the blame with Bunny but in doing so had pushed his love away. Yes they may still sleep together but it wasn't the same. They were like strangers and argued more than even before Jack became a Guardian. But there Bunny stood, his emotions bare to the world as he stared back at Jack with all the love he had always held for him.

"Can you get Bunny to stop moping?" Seraphina said as she placed a hand on Jack's shoulder. "He's positively annoying when he starts whining about you. I might have to force him to take on his small bunny form just to shut him up for a while and father would just eat that up."

A small smile tugged at Jack's lips at the idea of his Bunny being in his weakest form. "I'm sure Pitch would get a kick out of scratching behind his ears," he teased, grinning when Bunny's pouty face turned to a frown.

"Now see here…" Bunny began but stopped as Seraphina glided past him and kissed his cheek. "You're dead to me, Sera," he growled even though he kissed her back. "Now I know where he gets his brattiness from."

Her only answer was laughter as she faded from sight and merged once more with the wind.

"Brattiness?" Jack questioned as he strolled up to his mate. "Is that even a word?"

Bunny's arms wrapped around Jack's middle and he pulled the boy close. "It's my word for you." He nuzzled Jack's head, rubbing his chin over the youth's head and making sure his scent covered his love. "I've missed you, Jack."

"I missed you, too, Bunny," Jack murmured. "I'm sorry I haven't been myself. I promise never to ignore you again. No matter what."

"Maybe we should make it a rule. One I should reteach you."

Jack yelped as Bunny began licking him, his claws tugging at his clothes, silently begging for the one thing they both missed more than anything. For a moment Jack was fearful but he quickly reminded himself that Jamie and the others were miles away. Nonetheless he cast wards around them to help contain the magic as North had taught him to do. Over the years the Guardians, Pitch and Mother Nature had created a lot of rules for him but there was one Jack made for himself that he would always keep and that was to never ever deny himself or his lover again. It was one rule that would stand above all the others.

**Well this is it, I had a lot of other ideas but I can fit them in with other fics. I hoped everyone enjoyed this I just needed to end it so I can focus on other stuff.**


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